HB 


REPORT 


OF  THE 


NEW  YORK  CITY  COMMISSION 


ON 


CONGESTION 
OF    POPULATION 


.  rausmittec    to   the 


MAYOR  and  Tllii  BOARD  OF  ALDERMEN 


FEBFvUARY  28,  1911 


NEW    YORK: 

LECOl  >  fclR  PRESS   COMPANY 

No.  51   Vesbt  Stxeet. 

1911. 


GIFT   OF 


REPORT 

OF   THE 

NEW  YORK  CITY  COMMISSION 

M 

ON 

CONGESTION 
OF    POPULATION 


Transmitted   to   the 

MAYOR  and  THE  BOARD  OF  ALDERMEN 
FEBRUARY  28,  1911 


NEW    YORK: 

l-KCOUV'ER  PRESS    COMPANY, 

Xo.    51    \'esev    Street. 

]9il. 


GIF. 


NEW   YORK   CITY   COMMISSION   ON   CONGESTION    OF   POPULATION. 


The   Hon.   Jacob   A.    Cantor,   Chairman. 
Alderman  James  E.   Campbell,   Vice-Chairman. 


Alderman  Stephen  Callaghan, 
Alderman  Alexander  Dujat, 
Alderman  William  Fink, 
Alderman  James  Hamilton, 
Alderman  Tristam  B.  Johnson, 
Alderman  James  J.  Mulhearn, 
A-lderman  W.  Augustus  Shipley, 
Alderman  Edwin  W.  Sohmer, 
Alderman  Louis  Wendcl,  Jr. 


John  Adikes, 

Russell  Bleecker, 

Clement  J.  Driscoll, 

Gilbert  Elliott, 

John  J.  Flynn, 

Frank  J.  Goodnow, 

Allan  Robinson, 

Charles  Schaefer,  Jr., 

Benjamin  C.  Marsh,  Secretary. 


REPORT 


OF  THE 


New  York  City  Commission  on  Congestion  of 

Population 


New  York,  February  28,  1911. 

To  the  Honorable  WILLIAM  J.  GAYNOR,  Mayor  of  The  City  of  New  York,  and 
to  the  Honorable  Board  of  Aldermen  of  The  City  of  New  York: 

Gentlemen — The  New  York  City  Commission  on  Congestion  of  Population  was 
appointed  by  the  Mayor  May  17,  1910,  in  pursuance  of  the  following  resolution  of 
the  honorable  Board  of  Aldermen  of  The  City  of  New  York,  adopted  April  12,  1910: 

Resolved,  That  his  honor  the  Mayor  be  and  he  is  hereby  requested  to  appoint 
a  commission  of  nineteen,  of  which  there  shall  be  ten  members  of  the  Board  of 
Aldermen,  viz.:  three  from  the  Borough  of  Manhattan,  two  each  from  the  Boroughs 
of  Brooklyn,  The  Bronx  and  Queens,  and  one  from  the  Borough  of  Richmond,  to- 
gether with  such  persons  of  known  experience  and  prominence,  not  to  exceed  the 
number  of  nine,  who  shall  prepare  a  comprehensive  plan  for  the  present  relief  and 
future  prevention  of  congestion  of  population  in  The  City  of  New  York;  that  such 
Commission  be  authorized  and  empowered  to  employ  such  expert  assistants  as  may 
be  deemed  necessary  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work,  and  that  it  shall  report  to  the 
Mayor  and  the  Board  of  Aldermen  within  ninety  days  after  appointment  by  his  honor 
the  Mayor.  By  subsequent  resolution  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  the  time  to  make 
the  report  was  extended  to  March  14,  1911. 

Upon  the  organization  of  your  Commission  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  appoint 
the  following  committees  in  order  to  more  effectively  prosecute  the  investigations 
which  the  general  problem  required,  and  to  make  the  inquiry  as  broad  and  as  thor- 
ough as  possible : 

1.  Committee  on  Parks,  Playgrounds,  Schools  and  Recreation  Centres. 

2.  Committee  on  Streets  and  Highways. 

3.  Committee  on  Transit,  Docks  and  Ferries. 

4.  Committee  on  Housing  Conditions,  Regulation  of  Buildings  and  locating  New 

Settlements. 

5.  Committee  on  Factories. 

6.  Committee  on  Taxation. 

7.  Committee  on  Legislation. 

8.  Committee  on  Public  Health. 

9.  Committee  on  Immigration. 

10.  Committee  on  Labor  and  Wages. 

11.  Committee  on  Charities. 

12.  Committee  on  Public  Squares  and  Buildings. 

13.  Committee  on  Crime  and   Delinquency. 

The  Commission  as  well  as  the  various  committees  held  a  large  number  of  meet- 
ings to  which  invitations  were  extended  to  all  officials,  individuals  and  societies,  in- 
cluding experts,  who  had  any  information  to  impart  and  who  it  was  believed  possessed 
knowledge  bearing  on  any  or  all  subjects  relating  to  the  general  problem,  while  the 
Commission  itself  made  its  own  inquiries,  examinations  and  investigations.  In  all, 
the  Commission  held  twenty-one  meetings  and  the  committees  fifty-one  meetings.  One 
hundred  and  sixty-four  persons  appeared,  including  heads  of  departments  and  num- 
erous City  officers  whose  jurisdiction  extended  over  some  part  of  the  work  con- 
sidered by  the  Commission.  A  personal  examination  was  conducted  in  the  congested 
districts  of  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx,  together  with  a  close  inspection  of  the  water- 


343307 


fronts  and  the  waterways  of  all  the  boroughs.  The  attention  of  the  Commission  was 
directed  to  the  extensive  plant  of  the  Bush  Terminal  Company  in  South  Brooklyn 
as  being  the  most  recent  and  successful  attempt  to  locate  a  new  settlement  for  fac- 
tories, housing  for  persons  employed  therein,  distribution  of  merchandise  both  by  rail 
and  water  to  serve  as  an  object  lesson  as  to  what  could  be  done  in  the  way  of  remov- 
ing families  from  congested  districts  and  furnishing  them  better  and  healthier  housings 
elsewhere,  by  removing  factories  from  the  same  congested  neighborhood. 

While  the  field  of  investigation  was  extensive,  as  will  be  noted,  it  was  deemed 
wise  to  cover  every  civic  proposition  which  related  directly  or  indirectly  to  the  several 
problems  under  consideration.  The  statistics  presented  in  this  report  were  either 
official  or  were  derived  from  the  most  trustworthy  sources. 

The  Commission  therefore  submits  this  report  under  five  separate  and  distinct 
headmgs,  namely : 

I.  Conditions  of  Congestion  of  Population  Generally  Throughout  the  City. 

II.  Effects  of  Congestion  of  Population  and  Room  Overcrowding. 

III.  Causes  of  Congestion  and  Room  Overcrowding. 

IV.  Methods  Adopted  both  in  This  Country  and  in  Foreign  Countries  to  prevent 
Congestion  of  Population  and  Room  Overcrowding. 

V.  Recommendations  for  Relieving  the  Present  and  Preventing  Future  Con- 
gestion of  Population  and  Room  Overcrowding  in  This  City. 

We  also  submit  proposed  legislative  bills  and  aldermanic  ordinances  embodying 
such  recommendations  as  in  the  judgment  of  the  Commission  will,  if 
enacted  into  law,  prove  effective.  We  also  submit  the  full  reports  of  the  various 
committees  with  their  statements  and  recommendations  to  the  Commission. 

The  Commission  have  also  much  material  which  they  have  not  presented  but 
which  is  at  the  disposition  of  the  Mayor  and  the  Board  of  Aldermen. 

I.     Conditions  of  Congestion  of  Population  Throughout  the  City. 
It  is  necessary  at  the  beginning  of  this  report  to  distinguish  between  Jlconcjenlxa- 
tion"   of  population  and  "congestion"   of  population.  __The   former  term  implies  the 
jpresence  within  a  limited  area  of  a  large  population ;  the  latter  term,  the  overloading 
_of  land.    Thus  it  would  be  possible  to  have  in  the  209,218  acres  of  Greater  New  York 
10,460,900  people  with  a  density  of  only  50  to  the  acre  throughout  the  City,  or  more 
than  twice  the  present  population.     This  would   represent   marked   concentration   of 
population,   but   with    any   even    distribution   of   population    throughout   the   five   bor- 
oughs would  not  involve  any  congestion  of  population.     New  York  City  might  have  a 
much  larger  population  within  its  present  boundaries  without  any  congestion. 

Congestion  of  population  is  a  term  about  the  meaning  of  which  there  is  undoubt- 
edly  great  difference  of  opinion.     In  this  report  the  term  will  be  used  as  indicative  of 
_conditions  of  population  which  are  conducive  to  insanitary  or"  immoral  living.     The 
sections  in  which  such  conditions  exist  will  be  designated  as  "Congested  Sections." 

It  may  at  the  outset  be  stated  that  there  is  no  legal  limit  set  to  the  population 
which  may  exist  in  the  City,  with  two  exceptions : 
\\         First :   Bj-^  the  Factory  Law  at  least  250  cubic  feet  of  air  must  be  provided  for 
leach  worker. 

I  Second :  The  Tenement  House  Law  requires  that  rooms  in  tenement  houses  shall 
not  be  so  overcrowded  that  there  shall  be  afforded  less  than  400  cubic  feet  of  air 
to  each  adult  and  200  cubic  feet  of  air  to  each  child  under  twelve  years  of  age  occupy- 
ing such  rooms. 

While  there  are  thus  no  legal  limits  set  to  the  number  of  people  who  may  either 
work  or  live  in  the  City  or  any  particular  section  thereof,  the  structural  requirements 
nf  the  building  law  combined  with  certain  requirements  of  the  Tenement  House  Law, 
limit  the  population  which  may  be  housed  in  the  most  congested  sections,  if  these  laws 
are  complied  with.     These  limits  are  ordinarily : 

(1)  A  density  of  population  of  1,300  to  the  acre  (including  within  that  area 
half  the  acreage  of  the  streets  upon  which  the  house  stands)  in  tenements  six  stories 
high,  although  double  this  density  is  lawful  on  the  widest  streets. 

(2)  A  floor  area  of  260  square  feet  and  a  space  of  2,340  cubic  feet  for  each 
apartment;  that  is,  two  rooms  7  by  10  feet,  and  one  room  10  by  12  feet  with  a  height 
of  9  feet,  clear  in  all  rooms,  from  floor  to  ceiling. 

(3)  A  lot  occupancy  of  ninety  per  centum  of  corner  lots  and  seventy  per  centum 
of  interior  lots  and  in  exceptional  cases  of  slightly  more. 

(4)  In  six-story  tenements  under  existing  laws  it  is  possible  that  only  one  room 
out  of  four  will  obtain  an  adequate  supply  of  sunshine. 

These  laws  have  a  practical  effect,  however,  only  upon  tenement  houses.  Thus  it 
is  possible  to  cover  an  entire  plot  of  land  adjacent  to  a  tenement  house  by  a  factory 
or  warehouse  of  almost  any  height.     In  this  way  a  tenement  house  may  be  deprived 


not  only  of  light  but  of  ventilation,  for  the  yards  or  shafts  become  enclosed  ducts. 
In  certain  blocks  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  no  through  ventilation  can  be  had 
by  reason  of  the  fact  that  these  various  buildings  surround  the  tenement  house. 

These  limits  to  the  population  and  to  the  requirements  of  tenement  houses  have 
been,  it  must  be  remembered,  operative  only  since  1901.  As  the  Tenement  House  Law 
passed  that  year  was  not  retroactive  in  effect,  the  then  existing  conditions  of  conges- 
tion of  population,  so  far  as  they  exceeded  the  limits  fixed  by  that  law,  were  not 
changed.  The  result  has  been  that  in  many  sections  conditions  inferior  to  those  sought 
to  be  secured  by  the  existing  law  are  still  quite  commonly  to  be  found. 

Many  thousands  of  the  old  type  of  tenement  house  are  still  standing  in  three 
Boroughs  with  many  dark  rooms  due  to  the  narrowness  of  light  or  vent  shafts  and 
courts,  and  the  height  of  the  buildings.  A  large  proportion  of  this  class  of  houses 
is  located  in  the  older  and  more  densely  populated  sections  of  Manhattan.  Some  of 
these  houses  have  the  interior  light  or  vent  shafts  covered  with  skylights,  and  others 
borrow  the  light  for  the  interior  rooms  from  the  outer  rooms  through  windows  far 
too  small  properly  to  ventilate  the  outer  rooms  themselves. 

These  efforts  to  limit  by  law  congestion  of  population  have,  however,  in  many 
cases  and  in  the  most  congested  sections  been  nullified  by  the  overcrowding  of  rooms 
beyond  the  legal  limits. 

This  overcrowding  of  rooms  is  to  be  found  both  in  the  tenement  houses  of  the 
old  and  new  type,  and  also  in  the  rooms  of  one-  and  two-family  houses,  which  under 
the  present  building  laws  need  not  be  provided  with  any  means  of  ventilation  to  the 
outer  air. 

The  requirement  as  to  cubic  air  space  which  shall  be  provided  for  each  person 
is  so  low  that  the  seven  (7)  by  ten  (10)  foot  room  which  is  permitted  under  the 
Tenement  House  Law  is  legally  adequate  for  one  adult  and  one  minor  under  twelve. 

It  is  a  striking  fact  borne  out  by  the  Commission's  investigation  that  it  would 
be  possible  to  house  practically  all  of  the  population  of  New  York  City  with  a  normal 
increase  for  several  decades  in  three-family  tenements  and  two-family  houses,  and  a 
large  proportion  of  the  families  could  have  at  least  a  small  garden,  but  notwithstand- 
ing this  possibility,  conditions  in  New  York  are  highly  congested.  In  1901  the  greatest 
density  of  population  in  any  borough  of  London  was  182.3  per  acre  and  for  Greater 
London  14.8. 

Mr.  Lawrence  Veiller,  a  well-known  housing  expert,  wrote  in  1905  :  "No  concep- 
tion of  the  existing  conditions  can  be  obtained  from  any  general  statements.  To  say 
that  the  lower  East  Side  of  New  York  is  the  most  densely  populated  spot  in  the 
habitable  globe  gives  no  adequate  idea  of  the  real  conditions.  To  say  that  in  one 
section  of  the  City  the  density  of  population  is  1,000  to  the  acre  and  that  the  greatest 
density  of  population  in  the  most  densely  populated  part  of  Bombay  is  but  759  to  the 
acre,  in  Prague  485  to  the  acre,  in  Paris  434,  in  London  365,  in  Glasgow  350,  in  Cal- 
cutta 204,  gives  one  no  adequate  realization  of  the  state  of  affairs.  No  more  does  it 
to  say  that  in  many  city  blocks  on  the  East  Side  there  is  often  a  population  of  from 
2,000  to  3,000  persons,  a  population  equal  to  that  of  a  good-sized  village.  The  only  way 
that  one  can  understand  the  real  conditions  is  to  go  down  into  the  streets  of  these 
districts  and  see  the  thousands  of  persons  thronging  them  and  making  them  impass- 
able. So  congested  have  become  the  conditions  of  some  of  the  quarters  of  this  City 
that  it  is  not  an  exaggeration  to  say  that  there  are  more  people  living  there  than 
the  land  or  the  atmosphere  can  with  safety  sustain.  The  limits  have  not  only  been 
reached  hut  have  long  been  passed." 

In  his  book,  "The  Housing  Problem,"  published  in  1910,  Mr.  \"eiller  makes  the 
serious  charge :  "The  conditions  in  New  York  are  without  parallel  in  the  civilized 
world.  In  no  city  of  Europe,  not  in  Naples  nor  in  Rome,  neither  in  London  nor  in 
Paris,  neither  in  Berlin,  Vienna  nor  Buda-Pesth,  not  in  Constantinople,  nor  in  St. 
Petersburg,  not  in  ancient  Edinburgh  nor  modern  Glasgow,  not  in  heathen  Canton  nor 
Bombay,  are  to  be  found  such  conditions  as  prevail  in  modern,  enlightened,  twentieth 
century.  Christian  New  York.  In  no  other  city  is  the  mass  of  the  working  population 
housed  as  it  is  in  New  York,  in  tall  tenement  houses,  extending  up  into  the  air  fifty 
or  sixty  feet,  and  stretching  for  miles  in  every  direction  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach. 
In  no  other  citv  are  there  the  same  appalling  conditions  with  regard  to  lack  of 
light  and  air  in  the  homes  of  the  poor.  In  no  other  city  is  there  so  great  congestion 
and  overcrowding.  In  no  other  city  do  the  poor  so  suffer  from  excessive  rents ;  in  no 
other  city  are  the  conditions  of  city  life  so  complex.  Nowhere  are  the  evils  of  modern 
life  so  varied,  nowhere  are  the  problems  so  difficult  of  solution." 

The  Commission  have  investigated  many  phases  and  conditions  of  this  congestion. 
It  is  apparent  that  the  congestion  to  which  Mr.  Veiller  referred  in  1905  is  increasing 
in  the  sections  of  the  city  which  had  even  in  that  year  the  greatest  density  of  popula- 
tion per  acre. 


1.     Density  of  Population  Per  Acre  in  Large  Areas. 

In  1905,  742,135  people  lived  on  2,418.5  acres  south  of  14th  st.  in  Manhattan,  at  a 
densit}'  for  the  entire  area  of  306.8  per  acre.  Between  1905  and  1910  the  population  of 
this  area  had  increased  by  27,165  to  a  total  of  769,300,  and  the  density  per  acre  had  in- 
creased by  11.2  per  acre  to  318  per  acre.  In  1905  18.48  per  cent,  of  the  total  population 
of  New  York  City  were  living  in  1.15  per  cent,  of  the  total  area  of  the  City,  and  by 
1910  this  percentage  had  fallen  to  16.13  per  cent,  of  the  City's  population  in  spite  of 
the  fact  that  the  increase  in  density  of  the  population  per  acre  had  increased  11.2  in 
the  hve  years.  This  increase  of  population  in  these  five  years  was  fi\e  times  as  great 
as  the  total  number  of  persons  per  acre  in  1910,  in  both  the  Boroughs  of  Queens  and 
of  Richmond,  and  this  although  during  these  five  years  scores  of  high  multiple  family 
tenements  were  torn  down  for  public  improvements,  notably  the  approaches  of  the 
Manhattan  and  W'illiamsburgh  bridges. 

In  1905  slightly  over  one-sixth  and  in  1910  slightly  under  one-sixth  of  the  City's 
entire  population  were  living  below  14th  st.  in  Manhattan  on  one-eighty-seventh  of 
the  City's  area.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  too,  that  in  this  district  are  located  factories 
employing  nearly  one-half  of  the  total  number  of  workers  in  factories  in  the  City  and 
a  large  proportion  of  the  office  buildings  of  the  City. 

In  1910  375,316  people,  7.86  per  cent,  about  one-thirteenth,  of  the  City's  population 
lived  in  the  Tenth.  Eleventh  and  the  Seventeenth  Wards  of  Manhattan  at  a  density  of 
over  600  to  the  acre.  64,651  people  or  1.34  per  cent  of  the  City's  population  lived  in  the 
Thirteenth  Ward  of  Manhattan  at  an  average  density  of  591.3  to  the  acre,  102,108  peo- 
ple, 2.11  per  cent,  of  the  City's  population,  lived  in  the  Seventh  Ward  of  Manhattan, 
at  an  average  density  of  495.6  per  acre. 

One  million  four  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight  peo- 
ple, 30.43  per  cent.,  nearly  one-third  of  the  City's  Dopulation,  lived  in  the  Twelfth,  Fif- 
teenth, Eighteenth  and  Twenty-second  Wards  of  Manhattan  and  the  Tenth.  Thirteenth, 
Fourteenth,  Fifteenth.  Nineteenth.  Twenty-fifth  and  Twenty-eighth  Wards  of  Brook- 
lyn, at  a  density  of  ICO  to  149  to  the  acre.  One  million  one  thousand  twenty-three  peo- 
ple, 20.99  per  cent.,  approximately  one-fifth  of  the  City's  population,  lived  in  the  Second 
and  Third  Wards  of  Manhattan,  the  Twenty-ninth,  Thirtieth,  Thirtj^-first  and  Thirty- 
second  Wards  of  Brooklyn,  and  in  the  Boroughs  of  Richmond,  Queens  and  The  Bronx, 
at  a  density  of  25  per  acre.  The  large  acreage  of  the  Wards  in  The  Bronx,  Richmond 
and  Queens,  however,  makes  the  densitv  per  acre  of  relatively  little  importance  for 
reasons  to  be  discussed  later.  The  Tenth.  Eleventh  and  Seventeenth  Wards  of  Man- 
hattan had  an  average  density  of  population  per  acre  of  over  600,  the  highest  being  the 
Seventeenth,  with  647.8,  while  the  Thirteenth  had  593.1  and  the  Seventh  495.3.  Three 
wards  in  Manhattan  had  a  density  of  between  200  and  299,  and  the  Sixteenth* Ward 
in  Brooklyn  278.8  per  acre,  while  no  other  wards  had  a  density  of  over  200  to  the  acre, 
although  five  w^ards  in  Brooklvn  had  a  densitv  of  over  140  per  acre.  The  maximum 
density  of  Queens,  in  the  First  Ward,  was  only  13.3. 

Population  of  Each  Borough  in  New  York  in  1900.  1905  and   1910,  and  Density   Per 
Acre  and  Increase  From   1905  to   1910. 

Increase 
in 
Density  Density  Density  Density 

Population       Per     Population       Per     Population       Per         Per 
Borough.  1900.         Acre.  1905.         Acre.  1910.  Acre.       Acre 

Manhattan    1.8.50.0O3  131.8  2.112.380  149.8  2.231.542  166.1  15.6 

The    Bronx 200..507  7.7  271.630  10.4  430.980  16.5  6.1 

Rrooklvn     1.166.582  23.48  1.358.686  27.27  1.634.351  32.89  5.5 

Oueens    1.58.990  1.8  108.240  2.3  204.041  2.46  .4 

Richmond     67.021  1.8  72.845  1.9  85.969  2. .34  .3 

Greater  New  York  3.437.202  16.4  4.013.781  19.1  4.766.883  22.7  3.5 


2.     Block  Density  Per  Acre  in  Different  Boroughs. 

The  densitv  of  population  per  acre  of  a  ward  or  any  large  area  mav  be  extremely 
misleadinp-  both  because  the  areas  of  wards  vary  so  greatlv.  as  from  78  acres  in  the 
Second  Ward  of  Manhattan  to  30,800  acres  in  the  Fourth  Ward  of  Queens,  and  because 
a  small  part  of  a  ward  mav  be  very  closely  built  up  with  high  tenements  where  the 
larger  part  of  the  ward  is  entirely  unimproved  These  facts  reduce  the  density  for  the 
entire  area  to  a  minimum  most  misleading.  The  density  of  population  per  acre  in 
blocks  is  therefore  probably  the  most  accurate  measure  of  actual  density. 


There  were  in  Manhattan,  in  1905,  122  blocks  with  a  density  of  75U  to  the  acre,  and 
30  blocks  with  a  density  of  1,CC0  or  over  to  the  acre,  counting  in  the  acreage  of  such 
blocks  one-half  of  the  area  of  the  bounding  streets.  In  1905  the  average  density  per 
acre  of  all  these  blocks  was  967,  in  1910  it  had  fallen  to  952,  a  decrease  of  15  per  acre, 
the  populaUon  of  all  the  blocks  had  fallen  from  308,396  in  1905  to  303,839  in  1910— 
that  is,  4,557.  Fifty-four  of  the  blocks  showed  a  decrease  in  population,  the  most 
marked  case  being  the  block  bounded  by  \V.  61st  and  62d  sts.,  Amsterdam  and  West 
End  avcs.,  whose  population  fell  in  the  live  years  from  6,173  to  3,501,  a  total  reduction 
of  2.672,  or  nearly  three-fifths  of  the  total  decrease  in  population  of  the  entire  122 
blocks.  The  density  of  population  of  this  block  fell  from  1,145  to  649  per  acre,  a  reduc- 
tion of  496  per  acre.  The  block  with  the  largest  increase  in  population  is  that  bounded 
by  Grand,  Broome,  Ridge  and  Pitt  sts.,  whose  population  increased  from  1905  to  1910 
from  1,843  to  2,552 — that  is,  by  709,  and  whose  density  of  population  increased  from 
910  to  1,260,  or  350  per  acre.    This  block  is  in  the  centre  of  the  congested  East  Side. 

Of  the  fiftj'-four  blocks  whose  population  decreased  from  1905  to  1910: 
The  density  per  acre  of  24  blocks  decreased  under  50  per  acre. 
The  density  per  acre  of  14  blocks  decreased  from  50  to  100  per  acre. 
The  density  per  acre  of  7  blocks  decreased  from  101  to  2C0  per  acre. 
The  density  per  acre  of  1  block  decreased  from  201  to  300  per  acre. 
The  density  per  acre  of  4  blocks  decreased  from  300  to  400  per  acre. 
The  density  per  acre  of  4  blocks  decreased  over  400  per  acre. 

Of  the  sixty-five  blocks  whose  population  increased  from  1905  to  1910 : 
The  density  per  acre  of  27  blocks  increased  under  5Q  per  acre. 
The  density  per  acre  of  22  blocks  increased  from  50  to  100  per  acre. 
The  density  per  acre  of  9  blocks  increased  from  101  to  200  per  acre. 
The  density  per  acre  of  5  blocks  increased  from  300  to  301  per  acre. 
The  density  per  acre  of  1  block  increased  over  400. 

The  density  of  population  of  one  block  remained  stationary,  and  information  could 
not  be  secured  about  the  other  three. 

Only  4  of  the  122  blocks  which  had  in  1905  a  density  of  over  750  to  the  acre  are 
above  14th  st. 

Of  the  114  blocks  below  14th  st.  which  had  in  1905  a  density  of  750  or  over  per 
acre,  the  population  of  62  increased,  and  of  52  decreased,  from  1905  to  1910.  The  total 
population  in  these  blocks  decreased  from  1905  to  1910  by  2,393,  while  the  total  popula- 
tion south  of  14th  St.  increased  27,165. 

The  reasons  for  the  fluctuation  of  density  in  blocks  are  varied  in  some  blocks,  as 
has  been  noted  ;  buildings  w^ere  demolished  to  make  way  for  public  improvements,  in 
others  tenements  have  given  way  to  factories  and  buildings  for  other  business  and 
commercial  purposes.  The  most  significant  points,  however,  regarding  the  shifts  of 
population  below  14th  st.,  in  Manhattan — the  most  congested  area  in  the  world — are 
these:  Frequently  a  block  whose  population  has  increased  materially  is  only  a  short 
distance  from  a  block  whose  population  has  decreased.  Only  sixteen  of  the  blocks 
whose  population  decreased  had  a  density  of  population  in  1910  even  of  under  650  per 
acre,  while  the  density  of  most  of  the  blocks  was  still  nearly  700  to  the  acre;  that  is, 
they  were  still  congested  blocks.  On  the  other  hand,  nearly  half  of  the  blocks  over- 
loaded with  population  in  1905  increased  in  density  by  a  large  percentage  in  the  five 
years  under  review. 

The  deficit  in  park  area,  the  overcrowding  of  streets  and  the  evils  of  overcrowded 
school  rooms  and  part  time,  are  not  relieved  by  the  removal  of  a  few  hundred  people 
from  one  congested  block  to  another,  or  by  permitting  a  few  hundred  new  arrivals  to 
still  further  crowd  already  crowded  blocks.  The  fluctuation  of  density  of  118  blocks 
out  of  a  total  of  660  blocks  below  14th  st.,  most  of  which  were  in  1905  crowded  above 
the  safety  point  when  used  for  tenement  purposes,  is  significant  chiefly  as  emphasizing 
the  general  condition  of  this  crowded  tenement  district  and  the  evolution  of  congestion 
under  the  present  Tenement  House.  Building,  and  Taxation  laws. 

A  studv  of  the  changes  in  density  of  population  from  1905  to  1910  of  twenty-eight 
important  blocks  in  the  lower  part  of  The  Bronx  which  had  in  1905  a  population  of 
1.000  or  over,  is  even  more  significant  because  near  many  of  these  very  blocks  are 
blocks  practically  unimproved,  and  within  walking  distance  of  some  are  scores  of  acres 
of  vacant  land. 

In  1905  the  total  population  of  these  tw-enty-eight  blocks  was  37,241.  in  1910  it  had 
increased  to  42.897.  a  gain  of  5.656.  The  average  density  per  acre  of  all  the  blocks 
was  360  in  1905.  and  414  in  1910.  an  increase  of  54  per  acre,  or  over  one-seventh  in  the 
Wve  years.  The  population  of  twenty  blocks  just  three-quarters  increased  during 
this  period;  that  of  eight  decreased. 


8 

Three  blocks  had  in  1910  a  density  per  acre  of  over  600,  as  follows :  The  block 
bounded  by  Kelly  St.,  Westchester,  Wales  and  Robbins  aves.,  of  633;  the  block  bounded 
by  E.  146th  and  147th  sts.,  St.  Ann's  and  Brooks  aves,  of  610;  the  block  bounded  by 
E.  136th  and  137th  sts..  Willis  ave.  and  Brown  place,  of  607.  The  population  of  the 
first  of  these  increased'in  the  live  years  from  1,227  to  1,633,  and  the  population  of  the 
block  bounded  by  E.  140th  and  E  141st  sts.,  Willis  and  Brooks  aves.,  increased  from 
1,601  to  2,298 — that  is,  by  697,  or  over  two-iifths.  The  increase  in  density  of  only 
eight  of  the  blocks  was  under  50  per  acre,  of  seven  between  50  and  100,  of  four  be- 
tween 101  and  200,  and  of  one  over  200,  while  the  decrease  in  density  of  six  out  of 
seven  blocks  was  under  50  per  acre.  Several  blocks  in  The  Bronx  are  rapidly  becoming 
as  densely  populated  as  the  great  majority  of  the  congested  tenement  blocks  in  Man- 
hattan, and  these  Bronx  blocks  are  also  occupied  chiefly  by  artisans  and  factory  oper- 
atives and  laborers. 

The  Sixteenth  Ward  of  Brooklyn  had  in  1905  a  population  of  61,136,  with  an  aver- 
age density  per  acre  of  249.3.  By  1910  the  population  increased  to  68.253,  the  density 
to  278.8  per  acre. 

There  were  in  1905  twenty-three  blocks  in  this  16th  ward  with  a  density  of  300  per 
acre  or  over.  The  average  density  per  acre  of  all  of  these  blocks  in  1905  was  365, 
and  in  1910  was  401,  an  increase  of  36  per  acre,  or  about  9  per  cent.  Six  of  the  twenty- 
three  blocks  had  a  density  of  between  300  and  350  per  acre,  eight  of  between  351  and 
4C0,  tive  of  between  401  and  450.  two  of  between  451  and  500,  while  the  block  bounded 
by  Boerum,  McKibben  and  Humboldt  Sts.  and  Graham  ave.  had  a  density  of  540  per 
acre,  and  the  block  bounded  by  Boerum  st.,  McKibben  St.,  Bushwick  ave.  and  Humboldt 
ave.  a  density  of  495  per  acre.  The  same  fluctuation  in  density  of  individual  blocks  oc- 
curred in  this  period  as  in  the  blocks  in  Manhattan  which  had  in  1905  a  density  of  750 
per  acre  or  over,  but  the  net  density  of  population  per  acre  of  the  244.8  acres  of  the 
ward — the  most  densely  populated  in  Brooklyn — nevertheless  increased  by  nearly  30 
people  per  acre. 

Of  the  twenty-three  blocks  under  consideration,  nearly  half  decreased  in  density, 
but  nine  of  them  by  under  50  per  acre  and  only  two  by  over  50,  none  by  over  ICO.  The 
block  bounded  by  Boerum  and  McKibben  and  Humboldt  Sts.  and  Graham  ave.  in- 
creased in  density  by  174  per  acre. 

Six  of  the  twenty-three  blocks  increased  under  50  per  acre,  three  between  50  and 
100,  and  three  between  101  and  200.  A  large  proportion  of  most  of  these  blocks  have 
only  a  few  high  tenements,  so  that  the  minimum  probable  density  of  many  is  at 
least  600  to  the  acre  if  the  present  development  continues. 

3.     Room  Overcrowding. 

There  has  not  been  any  systematic  effort  to  prevent  room  overcrowding  in  the 
City,  but  the  data  as  to  the  extent  and  seriousness  of  this  evil  have  been  secured  from 
various  reliable  sources.  The  Tenement  House  Commissioner  at  the  request  of  this 
Commission  prosecuted  an  investigation  in  a  few  crowded  blocks  and  found  the  fol- 
lowing conditions :  Parents,  children  and  three  to  eight  adult  boarders  occupied  apart- 
ments of  two,  three  or  four  rooms. 

Number  of  Rooms  Having  Indicated  Number  of  Occupants.     (A  Minor  Under  12  is 
Counted  as  One-Half  an  Adult.) 

Occupants    ^  1        VA  2        2Y2  3        ZV2  4        AYz 

No.  of  Rooms 20         6  58        30  90        15  50         3 

Occupants    5        SV2  6        6'^  7        714  8        S]/.  10 

No.   of  Rooms 11         2  9  1  5         ..  1  ..  2 

Extent  of  Overcrowding  in   Rooms  Occupied.     Number  of   Persons  in   Each   Room 
Over  \l4  Per  Room.     (A  Minor  Under  12  is  Counted  as  One-Half  an  Adult.) 

Occupants    V2  1         VA  2        2^/4  3        3'/^  4        4^4 

No.  of   Rooms 56  28        82  15        51  3         9  3  9 

Occupants    5        SA  6        61^  7        7^4  8        Sy.  10 

Xo.  of  Rooms 1  5  1  ..  ..         ..  ..  2 

An  investigation,  made  in  February,  1910,  by  various  local  associations  in  different 
sections  of  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  and  some  of  the  congested  districts  of  Brooklyn 
showed,  however,  that  of  91  families  reported  less  than  one-half  CA)  had  two  occu- 
pants or  less  per  room,  while  one-fourth  (Y)  had  2]A  occupants  per  room,  one-seventh 
(1-7)  had  3,  one-ninth  (1-9)  had  3K>  and  one-eighth  4  occupants  to  a  room,  or  over. 
Two  cases  were  discovered  of  six  occupants  in  a  room ;  one  in  a  basement  and  one  in 
an  attic.  One-sixth  of  the  families  reported  were  living  in  two-room  apartments ;  and 
one-half  in  three-room  apartments.     In  each  case  the  number  of  rooms  in  the  apart- 


ment  included  the  kitchen.  The  families  investigated  were  typical  self-supporting 
families.  The  Nurses'  Settlement  on  Henry  st.  reported  that  95  per  cent,  of  the  fami- 
lies which  they  knew  have  three  occupants  per  room  or  over. 

This  overcrowding  existed  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  from  5  to  15  per  cent,  of 
the  apartments  available  are  in  most  parts  of  Manhattan  constantly  vacant. 

4.  Intensive  Use  of  Land. 

(A)  Proportion  of  area  of  blocks  covered  by  buildings  in  1908. 

In  Manhattan  over  one-fourth  of  the  blocks  were  covered  solidly  by  buildings 
or  had  less  than  11  per  cent  of  the  area  not  covered  and  over  half  of  the  blocks  had 
less  than  21  per  cent,  of  the  area  not  covered  by  buildings. 

In  the  built-up  sections  of  Brooklyn  nearly  one-tifth  of  the  blocks  were  covered 
solidly  by  buildings  or  had  less  than  11  per  cent,  of  the  site  not  covered  and  over  one- 
third  of  "the  blocks  had  less  than  21  per  cent,  of  the  site  not  covered,  while  two-thirds 
of  the  blocks  had  not  over  one-third  of  their  area  devoted  to  courts  and  yards. 

In  the  built-up  section  of  the  Twenty-third  Ward  of  The  Bronx  one-fourteenth  of 
the  blocks  were  solidly  covered  by  buildings  or  had  less  than  11  per  cent,  not  covered 
and  nearly  one-fifth  had  less  than  21  per  cent,  of  the  area  not  covered,  while  one-half 
of  the  blocks  had  30  per  cent,  of  the  area  in  courts  and  yards. 

(B)  Use  of  land  below  Chambers  st..  New  Chambers  and  James  Slip  in  Man- 
hattan. 

About  two-thirds  of  the  area  below  Chambers  st.  was  covered  by  buildings  in  1908. 
Of  this  covered  area  nearly  one-third  was  covered  by  buildings  live  stories  high,  nearly 
one-tenth  by  buildings  six  stories  high ;  nearly  one-eleventh  by  buildings  12  stories  high 
or  over. 

(C)  Cubage  or  volume  of  buildings. 

Mayor  McClellan's  first  Building  Code  Revision  Commission  recommended  that 
no  building  should  exceed  a  cubage  or  volume  of  more  than  174  times  the  area  of  the 
lot;  that  is,  should  not  exceed  a  volume  equivalent  to  174  times  the  area  of  the  lot  or 
a  solid  building  of  14  stories  covering  the  entire  lot. 

In  1907  there  were,  however,  below  Chambers  st.  eight  office  buildings  having  a 
cubage  or  volume  of  over  250  limes  the  area  of  the  lot,  and  11  ofi^ice  buildings  haying 
a  cubage  of  over  200  times  the  area  of  the  lot,  while  one  had  a  cubage  of  313  times 
the  area,  an  access  of  139,  or  more  than  three-quarters  over  the  cubage  recommended. 

5.  Height  of  Tenements. 

There  were  in  1908,  out  of  a  total  of  71,922  tenements  in  Manhattan,  8,761  tene- 
ments six  stories  high  or  over;  in  the  Twenty-third  Ward  of  The  Bronx,  out  of 
12,181  tenements,  1,812  tenements  five  stories  high  or  over.  In  the  Borough  of  Brook- 
lyn in  the  First  and  to  Seventh  Wards  inclusive.  Ninth.  Tenth  and  Twelfth  to 
Seventeenth  Wards  inclusive,  and  Twentieth  to  Twenty-sixth  Wards  inclusive,^  com- 
prising most  of  the  built-up  section  of  the  Borough,  out  of  63,649  tenements,  723  or 
about  one-ninetieth  were  five  stories  or  over.  (Many  tenements  are  six  stories  high 
in  front  and  a  lesser  number  in  the  rear,  etc.,  and  each  numbr  of  stories  is  counted.) 

Of  the  tenements  for  which  plans  were  filed  in  1909  and  1910,  in  Manhattan,  out 
of  a  total  of  667,  only  about  one-sixth   (109)   were  under  six  stories  high. 

In  The  Bronx,  out  of  a  total  of  1,855,  nearly  two-thirds  (1,158)  were  five  stories 
or  over. 

In  Brooklyn,  out  of  a  total  of  1,563,  only  about  one-thirtieth  (54)  were  five  stories 
or  over. 

In  Queens,  out  of  a  total  of  443  tenements,  only  one  was  over  four  stories.  Of 
the  five  tenements  in  Richmond,  two  were  two  stories,  two  three  stories  and  one  over 
six  stories. 

Of  the  total  4,533  tenements  for  which  plans  were  filed  in  New  York,  134  were  over 
six  stories,  613  six  stories,  1,137,  about  one-fourth,  five  stories,  and  2,649,  about  three- 
fifths,  four  stories  high  or  less,  more  than  one-fourth  being  three  stories  or  less. 

6.  Multiple  Family  Tenements. 

Tenements  of  this  type  are  for  the  accommodation  of  several  families,  and  of 
these  tenements  plans  were  filed  in  1909  and  1910  as  follows:  In  Manhattan,  of  667 
only  272  provided  for  four  families  or  less  per  floor.  In  The  Bronx,  out  of  1,855  only 
438,  or  approximately  one-fourth,  provided  for  over  four  families  per  floor,  while  855 
provided  for  two  families  or  less  per  floor,  approximately  one-half  of  the  total  num- 
ber. In  Brooklyn,  out  of  1,563  tenements,  1,345,  or  approximately  four  fifths,  provided 
for  two  families  or  less  per  floor,  and  321,  or  one-fifth,  for  only  one  family  per  floor, 
although  there  were  in  Brooklyn  164  tenements  which  provided  for  four  families  per 
floor  or  over.  Out  of  443  tenements  in  Queens,  422  provided  for  two  families  or  less 
per  floor,  and  the  largest  number  of  families  to  the  floor  was  four,  in  11  tenements. 


10 

In  Richmond,  two  tenements  provided  for  one  family  to  the  floor  and  three  for 
two  families. 

In  New  York  City  as  a  whole,  out  of  4,533  tenements,  for  which  plans  were  filed 
in  1909  and  1910,  485,  or  approximately  one-tenth,  provided  for  one  family  per  floor, 
2,641  provided  for  two  families  or  less  per  floor,  and  approximately  one-fifth  provided 
for  live  families  per  floor  or  more. 

7.  Heights  of  Buildings  Other  Than  Tenements  in  1907  and  1908. 

In  Manhattan,  out  of  17,357  buildings  used  for  all  purposes,  except  tenements, 
nearly  seven-eighths  were  six  stories  high  or  less,  and  only  one-hundredth  were  13 
stories  high  or  over.  In  Brooklyn,  out  of  10,439  such  buildings,  only  about  one-hun- 
dredth were  over  six  stories  high.  In  the  Twenty-third  Ward  of  The  Bronx,  out  of 
2.735  such  buildings,  only  14  were  over  six  stories  high.  (As  for  tenements  all  eleva- 
tions were  counted.) 

8.  Concentration  of  Land  Values. 

In  1910  the  assessed  land  value  of  ordinary  land  of  Manhattan,  that  is,  exclusive 
of  land^of  "Real  Estate  of  Corporations"  and  "Special  Franchises,"  was  $2,905,201,140, 
nearly  75  per  cent,  of  the  entire  assessed  value  of  land  in  Greater  New  York,  viz., 
$4,001,129,651,  although  Manhattan  has  only  6.7  per  cent.,  or  about  one-fifteenth  of  the 
area  of  the  Citv.  Of  the  total  increase  in  assessed  value  of  such  land  of  New  York 
from  1909  to  1910,  of  $115,402,444,  $75,454,269  was  in  Manhattan,  about  two-thirds  of 
the  total  increase  in  assessed  valuation.  In  1908  the  assessed  value  of  such  land  south 
of  Chambers  st..  New  Chambers  st.  and  James  Slip  in  Manhattan,  about  one-five-hun- 
dredth of  the  area  of  New  York  (0.18  per  cent.),  was  $339,649,810,  or  8.83  per  cent., 
nearly  one-eleventh  of  the  total  assessed  value  of  such  land  in  the  entire  City.  One 
block  in  lower  Manhattan  of  only  155  acres  represented  in  1908  .019  per  cent,  of  the 
total  of  such  assessed  land  value  of  the  City,  or  approximately  one-five-hundredth. 

9.  Nationalities  in  Congested  Areas  and  Blocks. 

The  data  regarding  nationalities  in  congested  areas  and  blocks  have  been  com- 
piled by  Dr.  Walter  Laidlaw,  Secretary  of  the  Federation  of  Churches  and  Christian 
Organizations.  The  data  regarding  nationality  in  1910  are  not  available,  the  last  being 
of  1905. 

Irish  and  German,  the  leading  foreign  peoples  of  Manhattan  in  1900,  have  been 
displaced  by  Russians  and  Italians. 

All  four  of  these  nationalities  were  in  the  100,000  class  of  1905,  and  the  Italians 
were  the  only  group  of  the  four  having  below  100,000  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan 
in  1900. 

The  following  is  the  order  of  foreign  nationalities  in  Manhattan  in  1905 :  Russian, 
practically  200,000;  Italian,  155,000;  Irish,  125,000;  German,  115,000;  Austrian,  80,000; 
Hungarian.  35,000;  Poles,  25,000;  Roumanian,  21,000;  Bohemian,  10,000;  with  33  other 
nationalities  under  10,000. 

The  122  blocks  in  Manhattan  having  in  1905  a  density  of  over  750  people  per  acre 
have  been  especially  counted :  65.7  per  cent  of  the  312,042  people  living  in  1905  in 
blocks  of  over  750  per  acre  were  foreign-born,  and  only  34.25  per  cent  American-born. 
The  foreign-born  in  Manhattan  numbered,  in  1905,  890,142.  and  205,151  of  them,  or  over 
23  per  cent.,  were  domiciled  in  blocks  having  above  750'  people  per  acre,  while  less 
than  9  per  cent,  of  American-born  people  were  living  under  like  conditions. 

Of  the  population  in  blocks  of  over  750  density,  Russian-born  people  supplied 
30.15  per  cent  and  American  only  34.25  per  cent,  while  the  Austrians  supplied  12.65 
per  cent.,  Italians  9.60  per  cent.,  Poles  4.21  per  cent.,  Roumanians  3.24  per  cent., 
and  Hungarians  2.78  per  cent.  South  of  14th  st.,  in  1905,  there  were  155,828  Russian- 
born  people.  Of  these  93,802,  or  62  per  cent.,  were  living  in  blocks  having  over  750 
people  per  acre. 

Of  the  Poles  and  Austrians  in  Manhattan  in  1905,  there  were  over  50  per  cent  living 
in  blocks  of  over  750  per  acre.  Between  45  per  cent,  and  50  per  cent,  of  the  Russians 
in  Manhattan  blocks,  34  per  cent,  of  the  Chinese,  over  25  per  cent,  of  the  Hungarians, 
and  less  than  25  per  cent,  of  the  Italians  were  living  in  similar  blocks. 

The  foreign-born  in  Manhattan  grew  from  789,342  in  1900  to  890,142  in  1905,  an 
increase  of  100,800  out  of  the  262,287  increase  of  Manhattan  in  those  five  years. 

The  population  of  Manhattan  was  42.7  per  cent,  foreign-born  in  1900,  and,  despite 
the  surplus  of  birth-rate  over  death-rate,  was  still  42.2  per  cent,  foreign-born  in  1905. 

The  old  Thirty-first  Assembly  District,  running  from  110th  to  134th  sts.,  and  be- 
tween Park  and  8th  aves.,  was  3  per  cent,  more  foreign  in  1905  than  in  1900. 

The  Borough  of  The  Bronx  had  30.7  per  cent,  foreign-born  in  1900  and  29.5  per 
cent,  in  1905. 


11 

The  old  Thirty-litth  Assembl}-  District  had  proportionately  more  foreign-born  in 
1905  than  in  19C0,  while  the  foreign-born  population  of  the  old  Thirty-fourth  Assembly 
District  fell  off  almost  3  per  cent. 

South  of  14th  St.  on  the  East  Side,  the  native-born  population,  from  1900  to  1905, 
increased  only  from  223.039  to  231,103.  or  in  all  8,064  persons,  less  than  4  per  cent., 
while  the  foreign-born  increased  61,517  persons,  or  very  nearly  20  per  cent.  There 
were,  therefore,  many  districts  where  the  number  of  native-born  in  1905  was  actually 
less  than  in  1900. 

10.  Laud  Holdings. 

In  1908:  3.568  acres,  approximately  one-ninth  of  the  total  acreage  of  The  Bronx, 
was  owned  by  23  corporations,  estates,  families  and  companies.  This  included  one 
500-acre  tract,  two  300-acre  tracts,  six  tracts  of  from  200  to  250  acres,  and  9  from 
100  to  200  acres,  with  a  large  number  of  holdings  varj-ing  from  10  to  100-acre  tracts. 

In  Queens  several  real  estate  companies  each  own  from  500  to  1.000  acres  of  land; 
two  real  estate  companies  own  or  control  approximately  one-sixth  of  the  total  unim- 
proved land  in  the  Borough  of  Brooklyn. 

In  1907 :  eight  families,  estates  and  corporations  owned  5.42  per  cent.,  or  over  one- 
twentieth  of  the  total  assessed  land  value  in  Manhattan,  and  1.88  per  cent.,  or  nearly 
one-fiftieth,  of  the  total  area  of  the  Borough. 

In  The  Bronx  one-fourteenth  of  the  total  area  was  held  in  lots  of  over  100  acres, 
and  about  one-seventh  in  lots  of  25  to  100  acres. 

In  Queens  one-twenty-fifth  of  the  area  was  held  in  lots  of  over  100  acres,  and  over 
one-fifth  in  lots  of  25  to  100  acres. 

There  were  in  Greater  New  York  five  companies,  each  of  which  owned  from  400 
to  about  2,000  acres. 

In  Richmond  58  individuals,  corporations  and  estates,  though  chiefly  individuals, 
owned  last  year,  1910.  5.559  acres  out  of  a  total  of  26.600  acres,  or  over  one-seventh  of 
the  total  acreage  of  the  island.  There  were  37  holdings  of  from  50  to  ICO  acres,  17 
from  101  to  200  acres,  one  of  300  acres  and  one  of  1,600  acres.  Most  of  this  land  was 
assessed  on  acreage  and  some  of  it  as  low  as  $300  per  acre. 

11.  Industrial  Congestion. 

One  of  the  most  marked  features  of  congestion  in  New  York  City  is  the  great 
concentration  of  factories  and  workers  in  factories  in  lower  Manhattan.  The  largest 
number  of  workers  reported  during  the  year  1906  in  all  the  factories  of  the  209,218 
acres  of  Greater  New  York  was  662,749.  Of  this  number  481,856  or  over  two-thirds 
were  in  Manhattan  on  less  than  one-fifteenth  of  the  area  of  the  City,  while  321,468, 
practically  one-half,  were  located  below  14th  st.,  and  20th  on  the  West  Side  in  Man- 
hattan on  2.717  acres,  or  virtually  one-seventieth  of  the  area  of  the  City.  In  the  old 
Sixth  Assembly  District,  bounded  by  Broadway,  4th  st.,  3d  ave.,  St.  Marks  pL,  2d  ave., 
E.  2d  St.,  1st  ave.,  E.  Houston,  Stanton,  Chyrstie,  Division  sts..  Bowery  and  Canal  St., 
and  comprising  only  186  acres,  there  were  56,598  workers  in  factories,  or  approximately 
one-eleventh  of  all  the  workers  of  the  City,  on  one-eleven-hundred-and-twentj'-fourth 
of  all  the  City's  area. 

The  number  of  factories  in  New  York  City  in  1906  was  25,892;  of  these  20,193 
(77.94  per  cent),  or  nearly  four-fifths,  were  located  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx, 
with  very  few  in  The  Bronx.  Of  the  increase  of  3,060  new  factories  in  Greater  New 
York  from  1906  to  1907.  2,438  were  located  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx,  the  vast 
majority  of  these  in  Manhattan,  representing  in  the  two  Boroughs  78.16  per  cent  of  the 
total  increase  in  factories,  again  approximately  four-fifths.  During  this  period  there 
was  an  increase  of  only  473  factories  in  Brooklyn,  106  in  Queens  and  43  in  Richmond. 

A  study  of  the  number  of  persons  for  whom  accommodations  were  provided  in 
factories  built  during  the  year  1902  to  1907  inclusive  show  that  provisions  were  made, 
allowing  28  square  feet  to  each  occupant,  for  137,034  in  Manhattan,  of  whom  31,789 
were  located  about  4^d  st.,  while  72,805  were  located  in  the  district  between  8th  st., 
St.  Marks  pL,  Greenwich  ave.  and  Christopher  st.  and  42d  st.  On  the  same  basis,  from 
1903  to  1907  inclusive,  accommodations  were  provided  in  factories  constructed  for 
197,238  persons  in  Brooklyn,  but  provisions  for  only  one-third  of  them  were  made  in 
the  central  wards,  the  10th.  12th,  22d  and  26th.  Factories  in  the  main  are  not  over- 
crowded in  Brooklyn  as  in  Manhattan.  Brooklyn,  with  nearly  one-fourth  of  the  City's 
area,  had  only  about  half  the  number  of  workers  below  14th  st.  in  Manhattan. 

12.  Office  Concentration. 

There  were  in  ofi^ice  buildings  below  Chambers  st.,  New  Chambers  st.  and  James 
Slip  in  1908,  allowing  110  square  feet  to  each  occupant,  accommodations  for  nearly 
130,000  people. 

In  office  buildings  constructed  in  1908  there  were  provided  accommodations  below 
Cortlandt  st.  and  in  Maiden  Lane  for  15.575  persons,  allowing  110  square  feet  to  each 


12 


occupant.     Two    large    buildings,    however,    each    provide    accommodations    for    from 
8,000  to  10,000  people. 

13.     School  Conditions  in  A^etu  York  City. 

(a)  There  \vere  in  public  elementary  schools  on  October  31,  1910,  in  Manhattan, 
425  classes  having  register  of  56  pupils  and  over,  and  three  having  a  register  of  from 
88  to  101.  In  The  Bronx  there  were  165  classes  with  a  register  of  over  56  and  one 
class  having  between  88  and  101.  In  Brooklyn  there  were  453  classes  having  a  register 
of  over  56  pupils,  while  Queens  had  29  such  classes,  and  Richmond  three.  In  the  Bor- 
oughs outside  of  Manhattan,  however,  these  large  classes  have  a  larger  proportion  of 
the  total  number  of  pupils  than  in  Manhattan. 

(b)  Height  of  School  Buildings. 

In  Manhattan  82  school  buildings  are  live  stories,  and  two  six  stories  in  height; 
in  The  Bronx  there  are  one  live-story  buildings  and  one  five-story  basement;  in  Brook- 
lyn, two  five-story  and  one  five-story  and  basement,  while  in  Brooklyn  there  were  44 
four-story  and  basement  school  buildings. 

(c)   Schools  Having  Specified  Average  Attendance  December,  1910. 


Borough. 

Manhattan  . 
The  Bronx 
Brooklyn  . . 
Queens  . .  . 
Richmond   . 


Under    1,500  to  2,000  to  2,500  to      Over       Total 
1,500.      2,000.      2,500.      3,000.      3,000.     Schools. 


87 
21 
113 
73 
34 


42  23 

4  5 

24  20 


12 
6 
1 


166 

1  40 

1  159 

73 

34 


Total . 

328           73           48            19 

4         472 

(d) 

Part  Time  and  Average  Attendance. 

Borough. 

Part              Average 
Time.         Attendance. 
Dec,  1910. 

Percentage  of 

Attendance  on 

Part  Time. 

Manhattan 
The   Bronx 
Brooklyn    . . 
Queens    ... 
Richmond     . 


9,717 
14,475 
28,826 

4,686 
165 

57,809 


247,509 
61,068 

207,922 
39,977 
11,022 

567,498 


3.97o 
23.7% 
13.8% 
11.7% 

1.4% 

10.0% 


It  will  be  noted  that  Richmond,  with  less  than  2  per  cent,  of  the  total  average 
attendance  in  public  elementary  schools,  had  only  1.4  per  cent,  of  pupils  on  part  time. 
Manhattan,  however,  had  only  about  one-third  as  large  a  proportion  of  pupils  on 
part  time  as  Queens,  and  only  about  one-sixth  as  large  a  proportion  on  part  time  as 
Brooklyn. 

The  City  has  paid  for  school  sites  in  congested  sections  of  Manhattan  as  high  as 
$20  per  square  foot,  while  the  average  price  paid  per  square  foot  for  school  sites  in 
Brooklyn  and  The  Bronx  for  the  last  few  years  has  been  approximately  $1.50  per 
square  foot  and  in  Queens  less  than  75  cents  per  square  foot. 

14.     Assessed  Land  Values  of  Congested  Blocks. 

It  is  often  claimed  that  for  a  good  standard  of  housing  for  unskilled  wage  earn- 
ers the  maximum  value  of  land  should  not  exceed  50  cents  per  square  foot. 

In  1908  the  assessed  land  value  per  square  foot  of  the  congested  blocks  of  lower 
Manhattan  ranged  from  $2.74  to  $16,  and  in  most  of  these  blocks  exceeded  $10  per 
square  foot. 

The  land  value  maps  prepared  by  the  Department  of  Taxes  and  Assessments 
show  that  in  1910,  exclusive  of  corner  lots,  or  those  influenced  by  corner  values,  in- 
cluding the  maximum   value  on  any  side  of  the  block,  values  were  as   follows: 

Of  2,372  blocks  in  Manhattan  only  99  had  lots  with  value  of  $1  per  square  foot 
or  less,  and  only  169  had  lots  with  a  value  of  $3.50  per  square  foot  or  less,  while  798 
blocks  had  lots  with  a  value  of  $9.50  per  square  foot,  and  from  that  valuation  up 
to  the  high  Wall  st.  values. 


13 

Of  2,162  blocks  in  Tiie  Bronx,  579,  or  nearly  two-sevenths,  had  lots  assessed 
for  fifty  cents  per  square  foot  or  less,  while  1,901,  or  about  seven-eighths,  were  assessed 
for  $2  per  square  foot  or  less. 

Of  the  7,327  blocks  in  Brooklyn,  only  218,  about  one-thirty-fifth,  were  assessed 
for  over  $3.50  per  square  foot,  while  only  about  one-fifteenth  were  assessed  for  over 
$2  per  square  foot,  and  4,476,  nearly  two-thirds,  were  $1  per  square  foot,  or  less. 

Of  the  849  blocks  in  the  First  Ward  of  Queens  (Long  Island  City),  712,  or 
nearly  seven-eighths,  had  a  value  of  $1  per  square  foot  or  less,  and  only  35  of  over 
$2  per  square  foot,  while  the  highest  square  foot  values  were  only  $5  and  $6.70  on 
Jackson  ave.  In  most  of  the  rest  of  the  Borough  assessed  land  values  were  under 
50  cents  per  square  foot. 

In  Richmond  relatively  little  land  is  assessed  for  over  25  cents  per  square  foot, 
and  much  of  it  is  acreage. 

15.     Park  Area  in  Congested  Districts. 

In  1910  Manhattan  had  a  total  park  acreage  of  1,444.2849  acres,  with  1,614  popu- 
lation to  each  acre  of  park;  The  Bronx  had  4,135.574  acres  of  park,  with  104  population 
to  each  acre  of  park;  Brooklyn,  978.385  acres,  with  1,674  population  to  the  acre; 
Queens,  602.23  acreage  of  parks,  with  386  to  the  acre ;  and  Richmond,  62.53  park 
acreage,  with  1,374  population  to  the  acre.  Mr.  Howard  Bradstreet,  Superintendent 
of  Recreation  of  Manhattan  and  Richmond,  has  prepared  tables  in  which  he  shows 
the  actual  deficit  of  park  area  for  different  Assembly  Districts  in  1908,  since  which 
time  there  has  been  practically  no  addition  to  the  park  acreage  of  the  Citj'-,  while  the 
population  has  increased  several  hundred  thousand.  Mr.  Bradstreet  takes  an  acre 
of  park  as  a  normal  provision  for  250  people,  and  on  this  basis  there  was  in  1908  in 
the  First  Assemblj-  District,  bounded  roughly  by  the  Hudson  River,  Canal  and  Broome 
sts.  and  Broadway,  a  shortage  of  park  acreage  of  7,382  acres ;  in  the  Fourth  Assembly 
District,  bounded  roughly  by  Catherine,  Division  and  Jackson  sts.  and  the  East  River, 
and  with  a  total  area  of  166  acres,  a  shortage  of  park  area  amounting  to  361.622 
acres ;  that  is,  the  population  is  so  dense  that  it  is  impossible  to  provide  even  approxi- 
mately an  adequate  park  area.  Similar  conditions  exist  in  several  other  sections  of 
the  City.  The  City  has  paid  as  high  as  at  the  rate  of  $5,000,000  for  an  open  spot  in 
lower  Manhattan,  but  can  secure  parks  in  other  Boroughs  for  from  $5,000  to  $10,000 
an  acre. 

II.     Effects  of  Congestion  and  Room  Overcrowding. 

The  effects  of  congestion  may  be  treated  under  three  heads : 

1.  Physical  effects. 

2.  Moral  effects. 

3.  Economic  effects. 
(1)     Physical  Effects. 

The  crude  death  rate  of  New  York  City  is  not,  notwithstanding  the  conditions 
of  congestion  to  which  attention  has  been  directed,  a  high  one.  In  1909  it  was  sixteen 
ten-hundredths  (15.10)  per  thousand:  Vienna,  sixteen  and  eight-tenths  (16.8);  Paris, 
seventeen  and  four-tenths  (17.4)  ;  Chicago,  fourteen  and  one-tenth  (14.1)  ;  Philadel- 
phia, fifteen  and  eight-tenths  (15.8)  ;  and  Boston,  seventeen  and  seven-tenths  (17.7) 
per  thousand.  Dr.  W.  H.  Guilfoy.  Register  of  the  Bureau  of  Records  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Health,  to  whom  the  Commission  is  indebted  for  the  statistics  which  have 
just  been  given,   remarks: 

"The  Committee  on  Congestion  should  not  fall  into  the  error  that  the  crude 
death  rate  of  a  city  is  an  accurate  measure  of  that  city's  salubrity  as  compared  with 
that  of  other  cities  whose  crude  death  rate  may  be  lower.  The  death  rate  of  a  town, 
city  or  country  is  dependent  upon  a  considerable  number  of  factors,  and  the  most 
important  of  these  are  the  sex  and  age  groupings  or  distribution  of  population.  A 
city  with  a  very  high  birth  rate  like  New  York  City  w-ill  have  a  considerable  number 
of  children  living  in  it  under  the  age  of  five  years,  at  which  age  the  death  rate  is  very 
high.  Consequently,  this  w-ill  increase  the  mortality  considerably  above  other  cities  in 
which  the  birth  rate  is  apparently  low.  We  find,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  that  the  birth 
rate  in  all  of  the  large  cities  of  the  world,  with  the  probable  exception  of  New  York, 
has  been  decreasing  within  the  past  ten  years,  and  that  this  decrease  in  the  birth  rate 
has  gone  hand  in  hand  with  the  decrease  in  the  crude  death  rate  due  to  the  compara- 
tively small  num.ber  of  children  under  the  age  of  five  years,  at  which  age  the  mor- 
taUty  is  excessive.  When  this  department  receives  the  figures  showing  the  sex  and 
age  "groupings  in  The  City  of  New  York,  as  enumerated  in  the  Federal  Census  of 
this  year,  it  will  be  in  a  position  to  make  accurate  comparisons  between  the  death 
rate  of  New  York  City  and  that  of  some  of  the  other  cities  of  the  world.  Until  this 
is  done  we  maintain  that  New  York  City  is  equal  to,  if  not  superior  to,,  any  large  city 
in  the  world  from  the  point  of  view  of  healthfulness." 


14 

While,  tlicrefore,  such  conditions  of  congestion  as  exist  in  this  City  have  not 
had  any  alarming  results  upon  the  health  of  the  population,  it  is  still  true  that  those 
conditions  have  unquestionahly  liad  a  had  effect  upon  the  public  health. 

Dr.  W.  H.  Parks  stated  at  a  hearing  of  the  subcommittee  on  Health  of  the  Com- 
mission, "that  the  more  overcrowding  you  have  the  more  sickness  and  death  there  will 
be.  As  to  the  actual  amount  of  such  increase,  1  have  no  statistics,  and  so  cannot 
state  definitely.  It  is  the  opinion  of  all  those  that  have  studied  congestion,  that  we 
have  increased  sickness  in  o\ercrowded  rooms  and  increased  mortality  among  those 
sick ;  that  is,  not  only  more  sick,  but  of  those  that  are  sick,  more  deaths.  This  is 
especially  true  of  communicable  diseases.  Overcrowded  rooms  mean  less  fresh  air, 
and,  therefore,  as  we  now  know,  less  chance  for  recovery." 

He  stated  with  regard  to  consumption:  "The  best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief 
is  that  three-fourths  of  those  now  known  to  have  consumption  will  die  without 
regard  to  what  can  be  done  for  them,  and  it  is  only  in  the  early  stages  that  recovery 
is  possible  for  a  large  percentage."  And  further :  "The  most  important  thing  is  to 
supply  a  place  where  good  air  and  good  light  can  be  got,  away  from  the  City;  and 
next  to  that  give  them  rooms  with  good  air  and  light  in  the  City,  and  sufficient  and 
suitable  food,  if  they  cannot  afiford  it  themselves.  Every  case  removed  from  the 
City  and  made  comfortable  itself  will  remove  one  centre  of  infection.  At  present, 
the  number  of  tuberculosis  cases  in  the  City  remains  the  same.  That  is.  we  have  as 
many  cases  each  year  as  the  year  before."  And  he  anticipated  the  same  number  of 
deaths  annually,  i.  e.,  approximately  10,000  under  our  present  conditions. 

It  is  unquestionably  the  case  that  congestion  of  population  through  its  effect  upon 
the  health  of  the  people  of  the  City  is  contributing  largely  to  the  $10,000,000  a  year 
which  New  York  spends  on  her  departments  for  the  prevention  and  the  cure  of 
disease. 

While  the  death  rate  of  New  York  City  is  not  extremely  high  compared  with  the 
ceath  rates  of  some  cities,  the  true  physical  results  of  congestion  and  room  overcrowd- 
ing can  be  ascertained  only  when  corrections  are  made  for  specific  diseases  and  for 
age  and  in  congested  blocks  and  in  overcrowded  rooms. 

Dr.  Antonio  Stella  has  analyzed  the  records  of  the  City  Department  of  Health 
in   1905  and  1906  for  six  congested  blocks  in  which  Italians  predominated. 

While  the  general  death  rate  for  The  City  of  New  York  in  1905  and  1906  was 
18.35  per  cent,  per  1,000,  and  under  five  years  51.5  per  1,000,  it  varies  in  these  blocks 
from  22.3  to  24.9  per  1,000  for  all  ages  and  from  59.5  to  92.2  per  1,000  for  children 
under  five  years  of  age. 

In  an  exhaustive  examination  made  recently  of  72,857  school  children  in  Glasgow, 
whose  families  were  living  in  one,  two,  three  and  four  rooms  respectively,  it  was 
found  that  invariably  boys  and  girls  of  a  given  age,  whose  families  were  living  in 
one  room,  were  both  of  lighter  weight  and  shorter  in  stature  than  those  whose  families 
were  living  in  two  room  apartments,  those  in  two  rooms  than  those  in  three,  and  those 
in  three  than  those  in  four. 

Investigations  at  Edinburgh  showed  similar  results,  with  the  addition  that  it  was 
found  there  was  an  equivalent  difference  in  mental  power. 

An  investigation  made  in  Leipsig  showed  a  death  rate  in  rooms  with  three  or 
four  occupants,  for  adults  three  times  and  for  children  under  one  year  four  times 
greater  than  in  rooms  with  one  occupant. 

In  a  recent  year  the  county  of  Durham,  England,  in  which  there  was  28.4  per 
cent,  of  overcrowding,  had  a  death  rate  of  18.64  per  1,000,  while  the  county  of  Essex, 
with  only  2.7  per  cent,  of  overcrowding,  had  a  death  rate  of  14.03  per  1,000. 

Sir  Shirley  Murphy,  Medical  Officer  of  Health  of  London,  in  a  report  of  the 
Committee  on  Physical  Deterioration,  furnished  the  following  information  regarding 
the  results  in  London  in  1901 : 

Proportion  of  Total  Population  Living  in  Tenements  of  One  or  Two  Rooms. 

Death  Rate  per  1,000  Living. 

r- * X 

From  All  From 
Causes. Phthisis. 

Districts  with    0-12  per  cent,  overcrowding 13.4  1.1 

Districts  with  12-15  per  cent,  overcrowding 16.1  1.4 

Districts  with  15-20  per  cent,  overcrowding 17.7  1.5 

Districts  with  20-25  per  cent,  overcrowding 15.3  1.5 

Districts  with  25-32  per  cent,  overcrowding 18.9  1.9 

Districts  with  32  per  cent,  and  upwards  overcrowding 19.7 2^ 


15 

Sir  Shirley  Murphy  has  shown  that  1891-1900,  the  infant  mortality  in  districts  of 
London  with  under  10  per  cent,  of  overcrowding  (more  than  two  in  a  room)  is  142  per 
1,000  births,  whereas,  in  districts  with  a  percentage  of  overcrowding  of  over  35,  it  is 
22Z  per  1,000  births. 

2.     Moral  Effects  of  Conqestion  and  Room  Overcrozi'dinp. 

While  it  is  a  fact  that  most  of  those  persons  who  are  convicted  of  crime  come 
from  the  congested  districts,  it  is  of  course,  not  possible  to  regard  congestion  of  popu- 
lation as  a  sole  or  even  the  main  cause  of  crime.  At  the  same  time  there  seems  to  be 
very  little  doubt  among  those  who  have  worked  in  the  congested  districts  that  a  very 
large  part  of  the  juvenile  delinquencies,  which  are  becoming  so  serious,  are  directlj' 
traceable  to  the  congested  conditions  of  population  among  a  large  portion  of  the 
families  from  which  the  juvenile  delinquents  come.  Mr.  Ernest  K.  Coulter,  Clerk  of 
the  Children's  Court  of  New  York  County,  stated  :  "Congestion  is  responsible  for  a 
vast  number  of  the  cases  that  come  into  the  Children's  Courts  of  New  York  City, 
environment  counts  nine-tenths  in  the  whole  proposition  of  juvenile  delinquency." 
Mr.  Coulter  gave  many  instances  of  the  results  of  room  overcrowding,  for  he  claimed : 
"The  children  often  come  to  feel  that  they  are  not  wanted  in  their  so-called  homes 
and  they  are  really  forced  to  the  streets.  The  most  skillful  pickpockets  in  New  York 
City  are  children.  The  ranks  of  these  young  thieves  are  constantly  being  recruited 
from  the  districts  where  there  is  the  greatest  congestion.  The  reason  is  that  the 
homes  of  these  children  are  so  crowded  and  wretched  that  there  is  little  attractive  for 
them  there,  and  these  little  unfortunates  when  given  the  first  taste  of  easy  money, 
have  little  desire  to  live  in  the  old  way." 

Hon.  Wm.  McAdoo,  Chief  City  Magistrate,  stated  in  a  communication  to  the 
Commission  : 

"I  think  there  can  be  no  question  but  what  the  connection  between  congestion  of 
population,  especially  in  that  form  which  it  takes  in  the  tenement  houses,  particularly 
the  old  style  tenements,  crime  and  delinquency  is  very  marked.  The  crowded  living 
conditions  in  these  small  rooms.  lack  of  personal  privacy  and  separation  of  the  sexes, 
must,  in  the  very  nature  of  things  beget  conditions  which  conduce  to  immorality  and 
the  lack  of  self  respect. 

"I  certainly  think  that  the  poor  family  in  the  country,  however  impoverished,  has 
a  much  better  chance  of  bringing  up  the  children  to  lead  clean,  moral  lives,  and  be  less 
sophisticated  as  to  vice  than  children  brought  up  in  the  congested  quarters  in  the  city. 
For  instance,  I  recently  visited  what  are  called  the  'agricultural  slums'  in  the  con- 
gested districts  in  Ireland,  in  a  mountainous  and  very  healthy  country,  where  the 
indoor  life  is  cramped  and  the  poverty  obvious,  but  where  the  outdoor  life  is  very 
healthful,  the  climate  moderate  and  even,  and  the  moral  and  religious  atmosphere 
excellent ;  and  I  should  hesitate,  if  it  had  been  left  to  me,  to  transplant  these  people 
to  the  crowded  tenements  of  the  East  Side,  even  if  they  got  more  food  and  better 
clothing  than  they  did  in  the  old  country.  The  percentage  of  crime  amongst  these 
people  in  the  old  land  is  so  low  as  scarcely  to  be  perceptible,  and  they  lead  clean,  moral 
lives,  stimulated  under  adverse  conditions  by  high  spiritual  exaltation  and  deep 
reverence." 

3.    Economic  Effects  of  Congestion  and  Rooni   Overcrowding. 

The  most  marked  effects  of  congestion  of  population  are  upon  rent  and  wages. 
The  mere  presence  of  a  large  population  in  certain  sections,  on  account  of  the  increased 
demand  for  housing  accommodations,  has  the  natural  result  of  increasing  the  rent 
which  is  demanded ;  and  of  diminishing  the  w^ages  in  so  far  as  the  amount  of  work 
for  which  wages  are  paid  does  not  increase.  The  high  rents  and  the  low  wage  have 
the  effect  of  forcing  the  population  to  live  in  more  and  more  congested  conditions. 
Rents  are  so  high  and  wages  are  so  low  in  the  congested  districts  of  the  City  that 
it  is  everj'where  reported  to  the  Commission  that  families  in  these  districts  are  quite 
commonly  taking  in  lodgers  or  boarders  in  order  to  enable  them  to  pay  the  rents 
which  are  demanded. 

Rents  in  the  congested  districts  are  furthermore  apparently  increasing.  This 
increase  in  rents  naturally  increases  the  land  values.  The  cost  of  materials  used  in  the 
construction  of  buildings  and  the  cost  of  labor  employed  for  that  purpose  have  also 
increased.  The  result  has  been,  so  long  as  there  is  a  demand  for  housing  accom- 
modations, to  increase  the  rent.  In  fact,  low"  wages,  high  rents,  inci"ease  of  land  values 
and  the  cost  of  construction  and  labor,  all  seem  to  w-ork  in  a  vicious  circle,  the  effect 
of  which  is  indirectly,  at  any  rate,  to  increase  congestion  and  to  low-er  the  standards 
of  life  of  a  large  part  of  the  population  which  is  living  in  the  congested  districts. 

This  lowering  of  the  economic  standards  of  a  large  part  of  the  population  living 
in   the   congested   districts,   has   had   the    effect   also   of   making   greater   and   greater 


16 

demands  upon  public  and  private  cliaritahlc  aid  within  the  city.  The  most  noticeable 
effects  are  to  be  seen  in  the  case  of  private  charitable  aid.  The  city,  as  is  well  knovvn, 
does  not  at  present  distribute  any  outdoor  relief  of  any  amount.  Such  outdoor  relief 
ay  is  distributed,  is  distributed  by  the  private  charitable  associations  of  the  city  with 
the  exception  of  stipends  to  the  blind.  This  outdoor  relief  is  naturally  distributed 
by  those  associations  among  the  population  where  the  need  of  it  is  most  noticeable; 
and  that  population  is  the  population  of  the  congested  districts.  No  attempt  apparently 
i^  made  by  associations  distributing  outdoor  relief  so  to  distribute  their  relief  as  to 
diminish  congestion ;  in  fact,  as  far  as  the  Commission  have  been  able  to  determine 
the  effect  of  the  distribution  of  outdoor  relief  under  the  present  conditions  is  to 
increase  rather  than  diminish  congestion. 

The  Sub-committee  on  Charities,  of  this  Commission,  has  found  : 

(1)  That  over  150,000  persons  arc  receiving  annually  outdoor  relief,  and  that 
about  500,000  people  are  receiving  annually  relief  from  public  and  private  charity  of  all 
kinds. 

(2)  That  most  of  the  relief  is  given  to  people  who  live  in  congested  districts 
where  rents  are  very  high. 

(3)  That  relief  is  being  given  by  private  charities  in  the  city  to  people  living 
in  such  unhealthy  conditions  that  the  Department  of  Health  has  refused  to  grant 
licenses  for  home  manufacture  to  the  people  occupying  such  quarters. 

(4)  That  relief  is  given  by  private  societies  to  families- where  tenement  manu- 
facture is  constantly  going  on  in  defiance  of  the  law. 

The  effect  of  such  methods  in  distributing  outdoor  relief  is  therefore  extremely 
bad.  Its  effect  also  is  important  since  it  is  established,  that  about  $20,000,000  are  dis- 
tributed annually. 

Causes  of  Congestion. 

1.  Poverty. 

Poverty  may  be  defined  as  inability  to  maintain  a  reasonable  standard 
of  living.  With  limitations,  poverty  must  be  recognized  as  an  indirect  cause  of  con- 
gestion of  population.  With  the  enormous  land  values  in  Manhattan,  the  very  wealthy 
who  can  aft'ord  ample  space  are  not  in  any  sense  of  the  term  congested.  On  the  other 
hand  the  inability  of  unskilled  wage  earners  to  pay  the  rent  demanded  for  a  suf- 
ficient area  for  their  homes  and  enough  rooms  causes  congestion  and  room  over- 
crowding. With  a  proper  distribution  of  population,  however,  and  with  reasonably 
cheap  land,  there  should  not  be  any  such  direct  connection  between  the  present  incomes 
and  the  congestion  of  population. 

2.  Concentraiion  of  Factories  and  Offices. 

The  Island  of  Manhattan  is  the  site  of  the  greatest  concentration  of  factories 
and  offices  in  the  world.  Many  buildings  occupied  almost  entirely  by  factories  are 
from  12  to  18  stories  in  height,  and  the  mere  fact,  that  nearly  half  of  the  total  nmn- 
ber  of  workers  in  factories  of  this  city  are  occupied  in  factories  located  in  the  2,717 
acres  below  14th  street  and  up  to  20th  street  on  the  west  side  in  Manhattan,  would 
necessarily,  with  the  present  long  hours  of  work,  even  with  better  wages  than  those 
now  paid,  produce  congestion  of  population,  or  the  massing  of  many  people  upon  very 
limited  areas.  For,  with  the  present  hours  of  labor,  the  factory  workers  must  live 
near  their  work. 

3.  The  Recent  Consolidation  of  the  Five  Boroughs. 

Until  The  Bronx  was  incorporated  with  Manhattan,  the  limited  area  of  Man- 
hattan, the  rivers  on  both  sides  were  some  excuse  for  the  massing  of  population, 
which  has  been  a  special  feature  of  Manhattan's  development.  Ever  since  the  con- 
solidation of  these  two  boroughs,  as  now  constituted,  little  effort  has  however  been 
made  to  distribute  population  into  The  Bronx,  for  Manhattan  has  been  desirous  of 
utilizing  its  land  most  intensively  through  the  massing  of  population  in  tenements, 
factories  and  offices.  Until  the  information  of  Greater  New  Xovk  in  1897,  moreover, 
there  was  further  the  same  competition  between  Manhattan  and  Brooklyn,  which  now 
exists  between  The  City  of  New  York  and  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  especially  the 
cities  in  the  western  part  of  that  State. 

It  has  been  extremely  difficult  to  overcome  the  strivmg  of  each  community  to 
get  the  population.  Had  New  York  City  comprised  25  years  ago  its  present  area,  the 
probabilities  are  that  there  would  have  been  a  little  less  congestion  in  the  Borough 
of  Manhattan  to-day. 

4.  The  Intensive  Use  of  ihe  Land. 

The  present  Tenement  House  Law  marks  indeed  an  advance  upon  the  Tenement 
House  Law  which  had  been  enacted  previously.  This  law  permits  a  net  density  per 
acre  exclusive  of  streets  surrounding  the  block  of  3.860  in  large  fireproof  tenements, 
while  in  the  ordinary  six-storv  tenement  a  density  of  1,300  per  net  acre  is  permissible 


17 

There  is,  however,  no  limit  upon  the  height  of  tenements  other  than  that  they  shall 
not  exceed  by  more  than  one -half  the  width  of  the  widest  street  upon  which  they 
stand.  There  is  also  no  limit  placed  upon  the  volume  or  cubage  or  heights  of  build- 
ings used  for  ofHce  or  factory  purposes.  While  the  report  of  this  Commission  was 
being  prepared,  a  building  of  55  stories  in  height  has  been  planned  for  lower  Man- 
hattan. 

The  most  startling  fact,  however,  is  that  these  conditions  and  the  intensive  use  of 
land  are  permissible  not  only  in  Manhattan,  but  as  well  in  every  part  of  each  of  the 
tive  constituent  boroughs  of  New  York  City.  Ninety  per  cent,  of  corner  lots,  and  70 
per  cent,  of  interior  lots  may  be  covered  by  tenements,  while  a  hotel,  when  located  on 
any  other  than  a  corner  lot,  may  cover  90  per  cent,  of  the  area  of  such  lot  or  plot  at 
an  above  the  second-story  level  if  not  more  than  five  stories  in  height,  and  2y-2  per 
cent,  less  for  every  ad4itional  story  in  height.  On  a  corner  lot  a  hotel  may  occupy  95 
per  cent,  of  such  lot  at  and  above  the  second-story  level,  and  in  both  cases  may  cover 
the  entire  area  of  the  first  floor.  Office  buildings  may  cover  the  entire  area  of  a 
corner  lot.  and  90  per  cent,  of  lot  area  at  and  above  the  second  story,  when  not  located 
on  a  corner. 

5.  The  High  Price  of  Land  Due  to  the  Intensive  Use  of  Land. 

It  is  true  that  the  first  story  of  low  buildings  situated  on  a  thoroughfare  with 
thousands  of  people  passing  it  daily,  would  pay  a  fair  return  upon  a  very  high  land 
value,  but  it  is  equally  true  that  the  present  permissible  intensive  use  of  land  makes 
land  valuable,  and  that  land  values  tend  to  reach  the  maximum  capitalized  rental 
value  of  the  most  intensive  use  of  land  permitted  under  the  law.  In  other  words,  land 
values  in  New  York  City,  especially  in  Manhattan  and  sections  of  The  Bronx  and 
Brooklyn,  readily  accessible  by  transit  have  capitalized  congestion  values,  and  these 
values  are  the  basis  of  the  city's  entire  financial  and  fiscal  policies. 

6.  Lack  of  Control  Over  Aliens  and  Citizens. 

The  personal  element  as  a  factor  in  producing  congestion  must  be  recognized.  A 
great  many  people  who  are  perfectly  able  to  afford  sanitary  conditions  of  living  an 
adequate  number  of  rooms  and  good  housing,  nevertheless  crowd  into  unsanitary  dwel- 
lings and  rooms  in  congested  districts  through  too  keen  a  sense  of  thrift  and  the  de- 
sire to  reduce  their  expenditures  so  that  they  may  save  money  to  send  home  or  for 
other  purposes.  This  applies  not  only  to  aliens  but  to  workers  who  come  to  the  City 
from  other  parts  of  the  State  or  of  this  country.  The  Tenement  House  Law  requires 
as  has  been  noted  that  no  room  shall  be  so  overcrowded  that  there  shall  be  less  than 
400  cubic  feet  of  air  space  for  every  adult  an,d  200  for  every  child  under  12  years  of 
age.  but  there  is  no  means  of  enforcing  this  law,  and  there  has  been  no  systematic 
effort  to  make  this  requirement  of  the  law  known  to  the  tenement  dwellers.  There 
is  absolutely  no  control  at  present  and  there  has  never  been  any  such  control  over  the 
location  of  immigrants  and  poorer  classes  of  citizens  who  tend  to  flock  to  the  already 
over-populated  sections  of  the  City  contiguous  to  opportunities  for  securing  employ- 
ment. 

7.  Loitg  Hours  of  Work. 

Three  factors  are  very  important  in  the  determining  of  the  residence  of  the  work- 
ers in  factories  and  to  a  lesser  extent  in  offices. 

(a)  Hours  of  work. 

(b)  Carfare. 

(c)  Social  considerations,  clannishness  or  gregariousness. 

Long  hours  of  work,  however,  are  one  of  the  most  important,  since  even  if  the 
laborer  has  a  large  income  so  that  the  carfare  is  not  a  determining  factor,  nevertheless 
the  necessity  of  riding  even  half  an  hour  to  and  from  work  in  addition  to  10  hours  of 
work,  tends  to  keep  him  near  his  work,  even  if  he  is  required  to  live  in  congested  sec- 
tions of  the  City  and  in  surroundings  unfavorable  for  his  family.  It  should  be  noted, 
too,  that  the  member  of  the  family  who  has  the  longest  hours  of  labor  generally  de- 
termines the  location  of  the  family,  thus,  although  several  members  of  the  family  may 
be  working  only  seven  or  eight  hours,  if  the  father,  an  unskilled  laborer,  works  10 
hours  and  must  be  at  his  work  at  7  o'clock  in  the  morning,  this  will  tend  to  keep  the 
entire  family  near  the  father's  place  of  work. 

8.  Cost  of  Transit  and  the  Transit  Policy  of  the  City. 

The  Bulletin  of  the  Federal  Census  published  recently  shows  that  in  1905,  the  av- 
erage wages  of  workers  in  factories  in  the  different  Boroughs  were  as  follows : 

Of  339,221  Wage  Earners  in  Factories  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx $536  76 

Of  104.995  Wage  Earners  in  Factories  in  Brooklyn 519  42 

Of  14.905  Wage  Earners  in  Factories  in  Queens 566  28 

Of  5,595  Wage  Earners  in  Factories  in  Richmond 549  21 


18 

There  are  relatively  few  heads  of  families  in  New  York  City,  even  skilled  me- 
chanics, who  are  earning  the  minimum  of  $800  a  year,  which  a  Committee  of  the  State 
Conference  on  Charities  and  Corrections  have  reported  to  be  essential  to  maintain  a 
family  on  a  reasonable  basis  without  permitting  of  any  saving  whatsoever,  and  prom- 
ising the  utmost  care  and  thrift  on  the  part  of  the  family.  It  is  true,  of  course,  that 
many  families  of ^ the  City  have  more  than  one  worker,  so  that  the  total  income  of  the 
family' is  greater  than  the  figures  given  above,  but  the  minimum  of  $800  provides  only 
for  the  support  for  three  children  under  14  years  of  age  and  for  the  parents,  while 
the  expenses  of  a  child  over  14  years  of  age  working  are  naturally  greater  than  those 
of  children  under  this  age.  There  are  roughly  speaking  no  areas  at  present  accessible 
to  Manhattan  where  a  laborer's  family  can  live  with  an  expenditure  of  less  than  20 
cents  a  day  for  the  wage  earner's  carfare,  or  without  the  necessity  of  nearly  one 
hour's  travel  and  secure  the  housing  conditions  which  are  regarded  as  proper  in  al- 
most every  other  American  city.  The  man,  therefore,  who  is  employed  in  lower  Man- 
hattan, and  who  has  an  income  of  less  than  even  $900,  is  practically  obliged  with  a 
ten-hour  day  to  reside  within  these  congested  districts  if  he  has  a  family  of  three 
children  and  a  wife  to  support.  The  transit  policy  of  New  York  City  is  in  partial 
measure  responsible  for  this  condition. 

The  City  in  the  past  has  regarded  transit  as  a  matter  to  be  governed  by  com- 
mercial and  not  by  social  considerations,  and  although  it  must  be  admitted  that  the 
transportation  of  large  numbers  of  persons  to  and  from  work  involves  an  economic 
waste  which  might  largely  be  avoided,  lack  of  adequate  transit  facilities  coupled  with 
a  complete  failure  to  regulate  the  development  of  the  City  has  tended  to  produce  con- 
gestion of  population  in  Manhattan  and  to  permit  of  the  gradual  duplication  of  similar 
congestion,  although  not  as  intense  as  yet  in  the  other  Boroughs  of  the  City. 

9.  Lack  of  a  Definite  City  Plan. 

The  failure  to  provide  for  the  development  of  the  City  for  a  number  of  years  in 
advance  and  to  make  provision  for  the  gradual  adaptation  of  streets  to  the  needs  of 
subsequent  generations  at  a  reasonable  cost  has  in  large  measure  caused  the  present 
congestion  of  traffc  in  the  downtown  sections. 

The  cost  of  widening  streets  in  these  sections  is  well  nigh  prohibitive  after  land 
has  reached  a  high  value  and  the  streets  are  improved  by  buildings  of  great  volume 
and  costly  cqastruction,  whose  alteration  or  demolition  would  put  a  very  heavy  cost 
upon  the  Cit^p  T"he  failure  to  provide  a  City  plan  determining  the  way  in  which  the 
various  sections  of  the  City  are  to  be  developed  is  also  largely  responsible  for  the 
congestion  through  intensive  use  of  land.  It  is  true  that  on  lower  Manhattan  the 
factories  are  chiefly  located  in  the  centre  of  the  Island  and  at  nearly  an  equal  distance 
from  both  rivers,  and  there  is  a  large  tenement  district  on  both  sides  of  this  factory 
district.  On  the  other  hand  the  land  values  are  so  great  here  now  that  this  proximity 
of  factory  and  dwelling  which  was  formerly  advantageous  now  constitutes  one  of  the 
most  serious  problems  of  congestion.  To  a  very  limited  extent  also  factories  have 
been  placed  along  the  water  fronts  and  the  rivers,  creeks  and  canals  in  the  Borough  of 
The  Bronx,  Brooklyn  and  Queens,  but  the  City  has  not  had  any  logical  plan  made  for 
such  distribution.  Centralization  has  been  the  principle  of  New  York's  development. 
Considerable  attention  has  been  paid  ever  since  consolidation  to  the  development  of 
Manhattan,  even  yet  not  only  the  financial  centre  of  the  City,  hut  as  well  the  business, 
barter,  artistic,  recreationanl  and  hotel  centre  of  the  Greater  New  York.  The  result, 
viz. :  Intense  congestion  has  been  perfectly  natural,  private  interest  has  been  permitted 
to  control  the  development' not  only  of  Manhattan  but  of  the  other  Boroughs  rather 
than  the  public  welfare. 

10.  Present  System  of  Taxation. 

In  New  York  City  until  very  recently  the  owner  of  land  improved  with  buildings 
has  been  penalized,  while  the  man  who  holds  the  land  out  of  use  so  that  he  may  secure 
the  speculative  increase  of  land  values  has  been  helped  by  the  taxation  policy  of  the 
City,  since  unimproved  land  has  been  assessed  at  a  relatively  low  value,  while  the  rate 
on  land  and  buildings  has  been  the  same.  The  system  of  taxation  has  discouraged 
the  construction  of  tenements,  of  factories  and  all  other  buildings  until  the  growth  of 
the  City's  projected  improvement  has  given  to  land  the  capitalized  congestion  value, 
to  which  reference  has  been  made  and  has  enabled  the  owners  of  land  to  reap  fortunes 
from  values  created  largely  by  the  increases  of  population.  This  policy  is  putting  a 
premium  upon  congestion  and  is  in  appreciable  measure  responsible  for  the  holding 
of  land  out  of  use  for  a  much  longer  period  than  it  would  be  so  withheld  if  a  large 
share  of  the  increase  of  land  values  created  by  the  community  were  recovered  by  them 
for  community  needs. 

11.  Failure  to  Prepare  Land  for  Housing  Purposes. 

An  inquiry  addressed  by  the  Commission  to  the  Presidents  of  the  various  Bor- 


19 

oughs  had  elicited  from  some  of  them  the  opinion  that  the  inadequacy  of  the  sewer 
system  in  certain  districts  in  The  Bronx  and  Queens  has  prevented  the  construction 
in  such  districts  of  dwcHings.  This  inadequacy  is  (kie  not  so  much  to  any  neglect 
on  the  part  of  the  City  officers  as  to  the  fact  that  the  undertaking  of  such  improve- 
ments is  dependent  upon  the  action  of  the  owners  of  property  in  those  districts. 

The  President  of  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  suggested  that  the  "President  of  the 
Borough  might  be  clothed  with  the  same  authority  that  the  Commissioner  of  Public 
Works  had  under  the  old  regime,  that  is,  prior  to  consolidation,  who  was  allowed  to 
complete  the  sewer  system  throughout  the  City  and  to  lay  or  improve  the  sewers  as 
necessity  required.  No  petition  was  necessary  and  the  only  requirement  was  that 
maps  showing  the  proposed  works  should  be  hied  before  allowing  the  contracts  for  the 
same." 

The  President  of  the  Borough  of  Queens  is  of  the  belief  "that  the  construction  of 
sewers  could  be  expedited  if  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  would  recom- 
mend the  approval  of  sewerage  systems  in  isolated  sections,  these  systems  to  be 
finally  incorporated  perhaps  with  some  modifications  with  the  scheme  for  the  whole 
Borough,  or  by  having  them  approve  a  system  first  showing  the  location,  size  and 
grade  of  the  outlet  sewer,  the  sewers  for  the  separate  locations  to  be  designed  as  the 
need  develops." 

12.  Methods  of  Adininistering  Public  OJid  Prizate  Charity. 

The  effect  of  charity  has  doubtless  been  overestimated  by  many  people  as  a  cause 
of  congestion  of  population.  The  City  however  expends  annually  approximately  $35,- 
000,000  on  charitj',  either  public  or  private,  including  the  cost  of  maintaining  public 
and  private  institutions.  This  means  roughly  about  $9  for  every  family  in  the  City. 
The  expenditure  of  so  large  an  amount  must  have  some  effect  upon  the  welfare  of 
the  community.  Much  evidence  has  been  presented  before  the  Commission  which 
shows  that  the  present  methods  of  charitable  societies  of  the  City  and  even  of  the 
Department  of  Public  Charities,  tend  to  anchor  people  in  the  congested  districts. 
Thus  in  the  year  1910  out  of  approximately  $3,170,000  expended  by  seven  of  the  largest 
charities  of  the  City  and  44  hospitals  connected  with  the  Saturday  and  Sunday  Hos- 
pital Association  of  New  York  City  only  about  $182,000  was  expended  outside  of 
Manhattan  and  The  Bronx,  excluding  the  expenditures  for  a  few  hospitals  connected 
with  the  Saturday  and  Sunday  Hospital  Association  of  New  York  City.  The  United 
Hebrew  Charities  and  constituent  societies,  expended  during  this  year  for  relief  in 
Manhattan  and  The  Bronx  $358,575,  the  Charity  Organization  Society,  $79,222,  the 
Association  for  Improving  the  Condition  of  the  Poor,  $90,512,  the  St.  Vincent  de  Paul 
Society,  $120,323. 

A  former  financial  agent  of  one  of  these  societies  stated  before  the  Commission 
that  a  large  proportion  of  the  relief  paid  by  the  charitable  associations  of  the  City 
was  made  necessary  by  the  conditions  of  living  in  the  City,  and  in  this  sense  it  might 
be  regarded  as  unnecessary  and  wasted.  A  large  proportion  moreover  of  the  public 
and  private  charitable  institutions  of  the  City  are  located  in  the  congested  sections 
of  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx,  and  in  the  rapidly  congesting  sections  of  Brooklyn. 
The  inmates  of  these  institutions  are  taught  chiefly  the  occupations  which  will  fit 
them  for  city  life  and  not  the  occupations  for  rural  or  small  town  life.  Thus  the 
efifect  of  the  work  of  the  public  and  private  charitable  institutions  of  the  City  has 
been  by  alleviating  the  conditions  of  congestion  and  preventing  suffering  to  tend  to 
anchor  people  in  these  sections,  where  healthy  housing  conditions  are  too  costly  for 
the  unskilled  or  even  semi-skilled  wage  earners  of  the  City. 

13.  Failure  of  the  City  to  Adopt  a  Policy  to  Attract  People  to  Outlying  Boroughs. 

The  policy  of  the  City  in  the  past  has  been  to  provide  relatively  adequate  educa- 
tional and  recreational  opportunities  for  people  living  in  the  congested  districts  of  the 
City.  The  City  has  however  been  behind  in  furnishing  similar  opportunities  in  the 
outlying  sections :  Thus  in  1910,  there  was  an  acre  of  park  for  every  1,614  of  the  popu- 
lation in  Manhattan,  for  every  1,674  of  the  population  in  Brooklyn,  and  for  every  1,374 
in  Richmond.  In  The  Bronx  the  population  was  104  per  acre  of  park,  but  in  the 
built-up  sections  of  The  Bronx  there  are  relatively  few  parks  and  playgrounds,  and 
the  total  acreage  is  largely  composed  of  a  few  large  parks,  such  as  Pelham  Bay. 
Crotona  and  Van  Cortlandt  parks.  There  were  in  the  same  year,  1910.  47  evening 
schools  in  Manhattan,  only  5  in  The  Bronx,  and  33  in  Brooklyn.  In  Manhattan,  in 
1910,  only  3.9  per  cent,  of  the  attendants  at  public  school  were  on  part  time,  in  The 
Bronx  23.7  per  cent,  in  Brooklyn  13.7  per  cent..  Queens  11.4  per  cent.,  in  Richmond 
1.4  per  cent.  The  average  of  the  entire  City  was  10.1  per  cent.  A  very  large  pro- 
portion of  overcrowding  of  school  rooms,  moreover,  was  found  in  the  outlying  bor- 
oughs of  the  City.  Such  conditions  have  much  to  do  with  congestion  of  population 
in  that  they  discourage  its  distribution  to  the  less  congested  districts.     It  appears  to 


20 

the  Commission  that  vory  little  effort  has  been  made  by  the  City  to  provide  these  dis- 
tricts with  those  conveniences  which  add  so  much  to  the  pleasures  of  city  life  and  for 
whose  existence  the  inhabitants  are  dependent  upon  municipal  action.  The  outlying 
sections  do  not  seem  to  us  to  have  received  as  generous  treatment  as  they  should  have 
at  the  hands  of  the  City,  so  far  as  concerns  an  ample  supply  of  water  and  artificial 
light,  police  and  fire  protection  and  school  provision,  libraray  and  facilities  for  cul- 
ture. 

Tt  should  be  noted  too  that  comparatively  little  effort  has  been  made  by  the  City 
to  train  citizens  or  even  school  children  for  life  outside  of  the  congested  centres. 
Thus,  there  were  only  31  school  gardens  in  Manhattan  in  1909,  and  12  so-called  school 
gardens  in  The  Bronx.  Out  of  the  29  vacation  schools  conducted  also  in  1910,  14 
were  in  Manhattan,  only  1  in  Queens,  none  in  Richmond,  with  13  in  Brooklyn,  mostly 
in  the  built-up  section  of  the  City,  however. 

The  City  has  conducted  a  farm  garden  m  the  upper  west  side  of  Manhattan.  Very 
little,  however,  has  been  done  to  train  children  through  the  public  schools  for  any- 
thing except  congested  city  life  or  to  instill  into  them  a  desire  for  homes  with  gar- 
dens outside  of  the  congested  sections  of  the  City. 

14.     Immigration. 

It  is  not  primarily  the  extent  of  immigration  which  is  responsible  for  the  con- 
gestion of  population,  as  has  been  intimated  earlier  in  the  report,  but  the  lack  of  con- 
trol over  the  location  of  immigrants  and  supervision  over  them.  The  increase  in 
population  in  this  City  has  been  very  large.  This  is  not,  however,  primarily  due,  and 
we  must  again  emphasize  it,  to  the  fact  that  we  have  had  immigration.  The  increase 
in  population,  it  is  believed,  is  due  in  large  measure  to  the  fact  that  New  York  is  the 
most  important  port  of  entry  for  the  immigrants  who  come  to  this  country.  These 
immigrants  apparently  have  a  much  greater  influence  upon  the  congestion  of  the  con- 
gested districts  than  their  mere  numbers  would  indicate.  For  the  tendency  of  the 
immigrant  is  to  take  up  his  abode  in  the  districts  which  are  the  most  congested,  and 
this  tendency  seems  to  be  accelerated  by  the  work  of  the  various  philanthropic  and 
benevolent  associations  which  attempt  to  ameliorate  the  lot  of  the  immigrant.  For 
example :  the  North  American  Civic  League  have  arrangements_  by  which  they  trans- 
fer immigrants  from  Ellis  Island  to  their  destination  in  the  City.  They  report  that 
during  the  period  from  October  5  to  November  30,  1910,  they  transported  4.399 
immigrants,  exclusive  of  Hebrews.  Of  this  number  384  were  placed  below  Chambers 
street  in  Manhattan;  1,400  between  Chambers  street  and  42d  street;  while  491  went 
to  Brooklvn.  * 

The  Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Immigrant  Aid  Society  reported  that  for  the  month 
of  November,  1910,  782  immigrants  immediately  upon  arrival  were  taken  to  their  des- 
tination; 424  of  these  were  located  below  14th  street  in  Manhattan,  114  in  Manhattan 
north  of  14th  street.  In  other  wards,  nearly  three-fourths  were  located  in  Manhattan ; 
while  only  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  or  roughly,  one-fifth,  w^ere  destined  for  Brook- 
lyn and  the  suburbs,  and  only  forty-nine  for  points  outside  of  New  York  City. 

The  same  number  of  immigrants  might  have  reached  the  United  States  and  been 
deflected  directly  throughout  the  country  to  sections  where  they  are  needed,  but  immi- 
gration without  direction  under  the  present  laws  has  been  a  potent  cause  of  congestion 
in  New  York  City. 

The  overcrowding  of  rooms,  to  which  attention  has  been  called,  is  in  large  meas- 
ure due  to  immigrants  who  come  in  such  large  numbers  to  this  country.  The  Federal 
Immigration  Commission  reports  that  in  2,667  households  of  which  they  made  investi- 
gation in  New  York  City,  23.2  per  cent,  of  the  households  had  two  or  more  occupants 
per  room,  while  10.2  per  cent,  had  only  two  rooms  per  household.  They  also  report 
that  of  the  2,648  families  investigated,  of  whom  they  have  complete  data,  1.944,  or 
nearly  three- fourths,  had  two  persons  or  more  per  sleeping  room;  that  24.6  per  cent 
of  the  families  took  lodgers  or  boarders,  and  in.  these  families  the  average  number 
of  lodgers  or  boarders  was  1.87  per  room.  t     t-  i 

This  overcrowding  is  particularly  noticeable  in  the  case  of  Italians.  In  February 
and  March,  1908,  an  investigation  made  of  174  scattered  Italian  families  in  lower 
Manhattan  showed  that  out  of  255  rooms  occupied,  191  had  three  occupants  or  over 
per  room. 

The  immigrant  is  responsible  in  some  measure  at  any  rate  for  congestion  m 
another  way.  His  coming  here  not  only  increases  the  number  of  persons  to  be  accom- 
modated but  also  has  the  effect  of  lowering  wages  for  those  who  are  here,  with  the 
result  that  overcrowding  becomes  necessary  in  order  to  pay  the  rent  which  is  de- 
manded in  the  congested  districts. 

Information  was  obtained  by  the  sub-committee  on  Labor  and  Wages  to  the 
effect  that  on  the  Catskill  Aqueduct  Construction  Works  there  were  two  rates  of 
wages  paid,  viz. :  Those  to  the  immigrants  and  those  to  the  Americans,  and  that  the 


21 

tendency  of  contractors  was  always  to  secure  immigrants  from  New  York  City  on 
account  of  the  comparatively  low  wages  which  could  be  paid  them. 

IV.     Methods  of  Relieving  and  Preventing  Congestion  of  Population  and  Room 
Overcrowding   in   America   and  Foreign   Countries. 

(a)  General  Restrictions  on  Height  or  Volume  of  Buildings,  Including  the  Area  of 

Lot  That  May  be  Occupied  by  Buildings. 

The  most  striking  fact  with  reference  to  the  restriction  on  the  height  or  volume 
of  buildings  is  that  in  most  foreign  countries  there  are  different  regulations  for 
different  sections  of  the  same  citj',  whereas  in  American  cities,  with  a  few  conspicuous 
exceptions,  the  regulations  applying  to  the  centre  of  the  city  apply  through  the 
entire  area  of  the  city.  The  restrictions  upon  the  heights  of  buildings  in  several 
American  cities  and  states  were  as  follows  in  1908: 

Xew  Jersey,  Chicago,  Baltimore  and  Cleveland  limit  the  height  of  tenements  to  one 
and  one-half  times  the  width  of  the  widest  street  on  which  the  building  stands.  San 
Francisco  places  no  limit  on  fireproof  structures,  but  limits  all  others  to  one  and  one- 
half  times  the  width  of  the  street.  Boston  places  the  limit  at  two  and  one-half  times 
the  width  of  the  street,  but  permits  no  building  to  exceed  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
and  limits  those  on  streets  sixty  feet  wide  or  less  to  two  and  one-half  times  the  width 
of  the  street. 

Washington  limits  all  tenements  to  the  width  of  the  street  between  building  lines, 
but  never  to  exceed  ninety  feet.  Providence  limits  all  to  ninty  feet  unless  fireproof. 
Rochester  permits  no  tenement  to  exceed  in  height  four  times  its  horizontal  dimen- 
sion. 

(b)  Percentage  of  Lot  Area  That  May  be  Occupied  in  American  Cities  and  Foreign 

Cities. 

In  New  Jersey  no  tenement  house  can  occupy  more  than  90  per  cent,  of  a  corner 
lot,  or  more  than  70  per  cent  of  an  interior  lot.  Connecticut,  Cleveland,  Baltimore  and 
Washington  all  limit  the  occupancy  of  corner  lots  to  90  per  cent.  Chicago  permits  lots 
bounded  by  streets  on  3  sides  to  occupy  90  per  cent.,  but  limits  all  other  corner  lots 
to  50  feet  or  less  in  width,  but  only  75  per  cent,  of  the  excess  over  50  feet  of  corner  lots. 
Connecticut,  Chicago,  San  Francisco  and  Washington  limit  the  occupancy  of  interior 
lots  to  75  per  cent.,  Baltimore  to  70  per  cent,  and  Cleveland  to  65  per  cent, 
(c)   Zone  System  in  Boston  and  Baltimore. 

By  an  Act  of  1904,  relative  to  the  height  of  buildings  in  the  City  of  Boston,  the 
city  is  divided  into  two  classes  of  two  districts,  designated  districts  A  and  B.  The 
boundaries  of  these  districts  continue  for  a  period  of  15  years,  and  by  the  terms  of 
the  Act  are  determined  in  such  manner  that  those  parts  of  the  city  in  which  all  or  the 
greater  part  of  the  buildings  situated  therein  were  at  the  time  of  such  determination 
used  for  business  or  commercial  purposes,  shall  be  included  in  the  district  designated 
A,  and  those  parts  of  the  city  in  which  all  or  the  greater  part  of  the  building  situated 
therein  were  at  the  tim.e  used  for  residental  purposes  or  for  other  purposes  not  busi- 
ness or  commercial  shall  be  in  the  district  designated  B.  In  the  first  district,  A,  no 
building  may  be  erected  to  a  height  of  more  than  125  feet  above  the  grade  of  the 
street,  and  in  the  second  district,  B,  no  building  may  be  erected  to  a  height  of  more 
than  80  feet  above  the  grade  of  the  street.  This  restriction,  however,  does  not  apply 
to  grain  or  coal  elevators,  sugar  refineries  in  any  district  designated  A,  nor  to 
steeples,  domes,  towers  or  cupolas  erected  strictly  for  ornamental  purposes,  fire-proof 
material  on  buildings  of  the  above  height  or  less  in  any  district.  By  an  Act  of  1905, 
relative  to  the  height  of  buildings  in  the  City  of  Boston,  a  commission  of  three  mem- 
bers was  appointed  by  the  Mayor  to  determine  the  height  of  buildings  within  the  dis- 
trict designated  B,  (since  in  each  part  of  the  district  designated  B  buildings  may  be 
erected  exceeding  80  feet,  but  not  exceeding  100  feet  in  height)  and  the  height  be- 
tween 80  feet  and  ICO  feet  to  which  buildings  may  be  erected,  and  the  conditions 
under  which  buildings  could  be  so  erected.  Authority  was  given  to  this  Commission 
to  provide  for  the  erection  of  buildings  to  a  height  not  exceeding  125  feet  in  that  por- 
tion of  district  B  which  lies  within  50  feet  of  the  boundary  line,  separating  said  district 
B  from  the  district  designated  as  District  A.  It  has  also  provided  "'No  limitations 
of  the  height  of  buildings  in  the  City  (of  Boston)  shall  apply  to  churches,  steeples, 
towers,  domes,  cupolas  or  statuary  not  used  for  purposes  of  habitation  nor  to 
chimneys,  gas  holders,  coal  or  grain  elevators,  open  balustrades,  skylights,  ventilators, 
flagstaff's,  railings,  weather  vanes,  soil  pipes,  steam  exhausts,  signs,  roof  houses,  not 
exceeding  twelve  feet  square  and  twelve  feet  high,  nor  to  other  similar  constructions 
such  as  are  usually  erected  above  the  roof  line  of  buildings." 

The  constitutionality  of  this  act  was  contested,  and  the  case  was  carried  to  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  which  decided  on  May  17,   1909    (Mr.  Justice 


22 

Peckhani  delivering  the  opinion  of  the  Court).  "The  ground  of  objection  of  plaintiff 
in  error  to  this  legislation  is  that  the  statutes  unduly  and  unreasonably  infringe  upon 
his  constitutional  rights,  (a)  As  to  taking  of  property  without  compensation;  (b) 
As  to  denial  of  equal  protection  of  the  laws." 

Mr.  Justice  Peckham  further  stated,  "In  relation  to  the  discrimination  or  classifi- 
cation made  between  the  commercial  and  the  residential  portion  of  the  city,  the  State 
court  holds  in  this  case  that  there  is  reasonable  ground  therefor  in  the  very  great 
value  of  the  land  and  the  demand  for  space  in  those  parts  of  Boston  where  a  greater 
number  of  buildings  are  used  for  the  purpose  of  business  or  commercially  than  where 
the  buildings  arc  situated  in  the  residential  portion  of  the  city,  and  where  no  such 
reason  exist  for  high  buildings.  While  so  deciding  the  court  cited,  with  approval. 
Commonwealth  vs.  Boston  Arvertising  Company,  Mass.  348,  which  holds  that  the  police 
power  cannot  be  exercised  for  a  merely  aesthetic  purpose.  The  court  distinguishes 
between  the  two  cases  and  sustains  the  present  statutes.  As  to  the  conditions  adopted 
by  the  commission  for  permitting  the  erection  in  either  of  the  districts  H,  that  is,  the 
residential  portion,  of  buildings  of  over  eighty  feet,  but  never  more  than  one  hundred, 
that  the  width  on  each  and  every  public  street  on  which  the  building  stands  shall  be 
at  least  one-half  its  height,  the  court  refuses  to  hold  that  such  conditions  was  entirely 
for  aesthetic  reasons.  The  Chief  Justice  said :  "We  conceive  that  the  safety  of  ad- 
joining buildings,  in  view  of  the  risk  of  the  falling  of  w^alls  after  a  fire,  may  have  en- 
tered into  the  purpose  of  the  commissioners.  We  are  of  opinion  that  the  statutes 
and  orders  of  the  commissioners  are  constitutional." 

"We  are  not  prepared  to  hold  that  this  limitation  of  eighty  to  one  hundred  feet, 
while  in  fact  a  discrimination  or  classification,  is  so  unreasonable  that  it  deprives  the 
owner  of  the  property  of  its  profitable  use  without  justification,  and  that  he  is  there- 
fore entitled,  under  the  Constitution,  to  compensation  for  such  invasion  of  his  rights. 
The  discrimination  thus  made  is,  as  we  think,  reasonable,  and  is  justified  by  the 
police  power." 

The  judgment  of  the  State  court  upholding  the  constitutionality  of  the  act  creating 
these  two  zones  was  thus  affirmed  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  chiefly 
on  the  above  grounds. 

A  similar  districting  has  also  been  made  in  Baltimore,  Md. 

(d)   Districting  of  Foreign  Cities. 

Many  continental  cities  have  also  established  the  principle  of  creating  different 
districts  with  designated  building  regulations,  varying  according  to  local  conditions. 

In  the  City  of  Dusseldorf,  Germany,  for  instance,  there  are  nine  separate  dis- 
tricts, the  same  number  in  Munich,  while  Cologne  has  six  districts,  each  with  its  own 
designated  and  distinct  building  code  and  regulations.  The  height  of  the  buildings 
in  the  districts  in  Cologne  vary  from  4  stories  and  mansard  and  a  ground  floor  in 
one  district  with  the  permissible  use  of  80  to  75  per  cent,  of  the  lot  area  to  a  height  of 
ground  floor  and  two  stories  and  the  permissible  use  of  only  40  per  cent,  of  the  lot 
area,  while  in  one  district  building  is  in  accordance  with  an  arrangement  with  the  city, 
and  then  only  50  per  cent,  of  the  covered  area  may  be  occupied.  With  the  exception  of 
Berlin,  most  of  the  large  cities  of  Germany  have  such  districts  with  varying  heights  of 
buildings  and  varying  proportion  of  lot  area  occupied  by  buildings.  A  similar  system 
of  districting  is  common  in  Austria  and  Switzerland.  Vienna  has  5  districts,  wath  regu- 
lations similar  to  those  of  Dusseldorf,  Munich  and  Cologne. 

(<?)    Distribution  of   Factories  by   Prohibiting  the  Locating  of   Factories  in   Certain 

Districts. 

Owing  to  the  desirability  of  eliminating  the  cost  of  transit  and  of  carfare  of 
workingmen  in  cost  of  production,  the  danger  of  permitting  the  concentration  of 
factories  in  limited  sections,  and  the  desirability  of  keeping  factories  out  of  residential 
sections,  part  of  the  fundamental  city  plan  of  German  cities  is  the  wide  distribution 
of  factories,  by  prohibiting  their  location  in  certain  districits.  One  of  the  notable  illus- 
trations of  the  successful  application  of  this  regulation  is  in  the  city  of  Frankfort-on- 
the-Main,  which  has  a  population  of  approximately  450,000.  Certain  parts  of  the  city 
are  known  as  factory  districts,  and  in  these  districts  only  workers  in  the  factories 
located  therein  may  reside.  Other  sections  are  called  residential  sections,  and  no 
factories  may  be  located  there,  while  in  the  third  class  of  districts,  known  as  mixed 
districts,  both  tenements  and  factories  are  permitted.  In  Toronto,  Canada,  also  by 
Ordinances  of  1910,  the  location  of  factories  in  certain  sections  of  the  city  is  prohibited. 

In  many  American  cities  the  location  of  factories  in  certin  districts  is  prohibited 
by  private  restriction.  In  both  America  and  foreign  countries,  however,  active  assist- 
ance to  the  distribution  of  factories  is  afforded  by  the  provision  of  means  for  carrying 
freight,  by  sidings,  light  railroads,  or  by  improving  the  waterfronts. 


23 

(/)  Fireproofing  Requirements. 
In  Chicago  the  construction  of  tenements  over  three  stories  in  height  has  been 
practically  prevented  by  section  450  of  the  Building  Code,  which  requires  that  every 
new  tenement  more  than  5  stories  and  basement  shall  be  of  fireproof  construction,  and 
every  new  tenement  of  three  stories  and  basomcnt  and  not  more  than  5  stories  shall  be 
of  slow  burning  and  fireproof  construction.  Certain  limits  have  been  put  upon  the 
heights  of  buildings  in  different  sections  of  Cleveland  also  by  fireproofing  requirements. 

ig)  Restriction  With  Reference  to  the  Width  of  Streets. 

In  most  European  cities,  outside  of  the  countries  to  which  reference  has  already 
been  made,  the  height  of  the  building  is  based  upon  the  street  widths,  and  the  maximum 
height  permitted  in  almost  every  case  is  under  100  feet,  including  all  buildings.  In 
London,  the  maximum  height  is,  except  by  special  consent  of  the  London  County 
Council,  80  feet;  while  on  streets  less  than  50  feet  wide  no  buildings  can  exceed 
the  width  of  the  street.  In  Paris  the  maximum  height  is  91  feet,  and  there  are  further 
restrictions  on  streets  less  than  65  feet  wide.  In  Berlin  the  maximum  height  is 
usually  50  feet  (in  streets  to  be  built  up  one  one  side  60  feet)  and  except  in  special 
cases  "buildings  may  not  exceed  the  street  width.  In  Vienna  the  maximum  is  62  feet* 
and  not  more  than  5^  stories :  additional  towers,  studios,  etc.,  are  allowed  on  streets 
60  feet  wide,  if  they  do  not  affect  the  sunlight.  In  Brussels  the  maximum  height  is 
69.2  feet ;  on  streets  less  than  49.5  feet  wide  the  permitted  height  is  less. 

In  Manj^  American  cities,  the  height  of  buildings  other  than  tenements  is  also 
limited  by  the  width  of  the  streets,  thus  in  St.  Louis,  Washington  and  Boston  buildings 
may  not  exceed  ICO  feet  on  any  street  40  feet  wide,  on  streets  60  feet  wide  buildings 
may  not  exceed  110  feet  in  Washington,  125  feet  in  Boston,  150  feet  in  Cleveland  and 
St.  Louis.  175  feet  in  Baltimore  and  260  feet  in  Chicago,  and  on  streets  100  feet  wide  the 
same  heights  as  on  60  feet  wide  are  permitted  in  Washington,  Boston  and  Chicago, 
200  feet  in  Cleveland  and  206  feet  in  St.  Louis,  but  an  effort  is  being  made  in  Chicago 
to  reduce  the  maximum  height  from  260  feet  to  20O  feet. 

2.     Methods  of  Taxation. 

Certain  methods  of  taxation  have  been  adopted  in  foreign  countries,  because  of 
their  eft'ect  upon  preventing  congestion  of  population,  (a)  Taxing  land  at  a  higher 
rate  of  taxation  than  buildings,  (b)  A  tax  upon  the  increment  of  land  values.  The 
former  system  of  taxation  is  in  vogue  in  a  large  number  of  Canadian  cities,  where 
the  tax  rate  on  land  is  double  the  tax  rate  on  buildings.  In  many  cities  there  is  now 
being  urged  as  a  means  of  encouraging  the  construction  of  buildings  and  consequently 
reducing  the  rents,  the  removal  of  the  tax  entirely  from  buildings  and  the  levjang  of 
taxes  upon  land  alone. 

In  a  number  of  Australasian  countries,  too,  land  is  taxed  at  a  much  higher  rate 
than  buildings. 

The  tax  on  the  increment  of  land  values  has  been  in  operation  in  several  German 
cities  for  a  relatively  few  years.  The  testimony  as  to  the  effects  of  such  a  tax  on  land 
speculation  and  keeping  down  the  value  of  land  and  encouraging  the  building  of  cheap 
dwellings  is  conflicting.  The  Oberburgermeister  of  Frankfort,  Dr.  Addickes,  is  of  the 
opinion  that  such  a  tax  has  this  effect.  On  the  other  hand,  a  commission  of  the  Senate 
of  Hamburg  informs  us  that  the  land  increment  tax  has  had  no  influence  on  either 
land  speculation  or  the  building  of  cheap  dwellings  and  that  it  would  be  difficult  to 
find  proof  that  it  has  reduced  land  values.  The  present  land  increment  tax  was  adopted 
in  Hamburg  in  1908.  Prior  to  that  time  money  made  in  land  speculation  was  as  income 
subjected  to  the  income  tax.  The  change  was  made  in  order  to  reach  land  owners  not 
residents  of  the  city.  A  communication  from  Hamburg  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that 
losses  sustained  in  land  speculation  may  be  deducted  from  the  income,  subject  to  the 
income  tax. 

In  most  German  cities  the  taxation  on  increase  of  land  values  is  levied  at  the  time 
of  sale.  The  tax  is  progressive  -in  Frankfort-on-the-Main.  If  less  than  twenty  years 
have  elapsed  since  the  date  of  last  transfer  a  tax  of  2  per  cent,  is  levied  on  the  increased 
value  if  it  amounts  to  15  to  20  per  cent.,  anything  under  15  per  cent,  being  exempt,  and 
10  per  cent,  of  the  increased  value  is  taken  if  for  more  than  55  to  60  per  cent,  and  an 
additional  tax  of  1  per  cent,  for  every  5  per  cent,  increase  in  valuation  to  a  maximum 
amount  of  25  per  cent. 

3.     To  Control  Overcrowding  and  Sanitary  Conditions. 
Most  Tenement  Laws  in  the  United   States   require  that  there  shall  be  in  every 
apartment  at  least  one  room,  with  not  less  than  120  square  feet  of  floor  area,  and  that 
all  other  rooms,  with  the  exception  of  the  water  closet  and  bath  rooms,  must  contain  at 


24 

least  70  square  feet  of  floor  area.  Cleveland  and  San  Francisco  have  the  maxiniuni  of 
other  cities,  but  require  all  other  rooms  to  contain  80  square  feet,  and  in  Boston  the 
requirement  for  all  other  rooms  is  not  less  than  90  square  feet,  and  also  that  all 
habitable  rooms  must  be  9  feet  in  the  clear  from  floor  to  ceiling.  Chicago,  Boston, 
Cleveland  and  San  Francisco  require  them  to  be  8  feet  6  inches,  while  some  cities 
permit  them  to  be  as  low  as  8  feet. 

The  London  County  Council  require  that  the  minimum  superficial  area  of  one-room 
tenements  must  be  144  square  feet,  two-room  tenements  must  have  one  room  of  this 
area,  and  one  of  at  least  96  square  feet.  Similar  provisions  obtain  in  most  English 
cities. 

With  the  exception  of  Cleveland,  Rochester,  New  Orleans,  Los  Angeles  and  Den- 
ver, the  uniform  requirement  of  cities  is  that  no  room  shall  contain  less  than  400  cubic 
feet  of  air  space  for  every  person.  Cleveland  requires  500  cubic  feet  of  air  space  for 
every  adult,  and  300  for  "every  child  under  12  years  of  age.  Rochester  requires  500 
cubic  feet  of  air  space  for  adults,  and  one-tenth  as  much  floor  space  for  every  occupant 
of  a  room.  New  Orleans  requires  6C0  cubic  feet  of  air  space,  and  in  Denver  the  num- 
ber of  occupants  must  not  exceed  one  for  every  700  cubic  feet  of  air  space,  and  the 
room  must  be  provided  with  means  for  frequent  renewal  of  air. 

Glasgow  requires,  in  addition  to  this  minimum  of  400  cubic  feet  of  air  space,  that 
in  every  apartment  one  room  must  contain  1,000  cubic  feet,  apartments  of  two  rooms 
1,600  cubic  feet,  three  rooms  2,400  cubic  feet,  and  not  more  than  16  apartments  are  per- 
mitted in  any  tenement  with  an  inside  common  staircase,  or  more  than  four  separate 
apartments  on  any  floor.  Machinery  for  enforcing  these  regulations  is  provided  in  a 
number  of  cities.  "  Boston  provides  that  the  Board  of  Health  may  take  reasonable  regu- 
lations governing  overcrowding.  Glasgow  employs  what  is  known  as  "ticketed  tene- 
ments" system,  under  which,  whenever  the  cubical  contents  of  tenements  of  not  more 
than  three  rooms  does  not  exceed  2,C0O  cubic  feet,  an  inspector  is  required  to  affix  to 
the  door  a  ticket  stating  the  number  of  occupants  who  may  occupy  the  room  as  sleep- 
ing room,  and  a  sanitary  inspector  may  enter  any  such  apartment  at  any  time  of  the 
day  or  night  to  see  that  the  said  provisions  are  not  being  violated,  and  the  system  ap- 
parently works  without  friction.  Similar  provisions  exist  in  Liverpool,  where  also  a 
common  lodgng  house  or  house  allowing  any  lodger  or  occupied  by  members  of  more 
than  one  family,  must  be  registered  and  be  under  the  inspection  of  the  Department  of 
Health.  Toronto,  Canada,  has  similar  provisions,  and  the  law  is  enforced  by  sanitary 
inspectors,  who  have  the  right  to  enter  any  tenement  or  lodging  house  where  there  is 
reason  to  believe  there  is  any  overcrowding.  *  A  similar  law  is  in  force  in  Washington, 
D.  C.  Placards  are  placed  upon  the  door  of  each  sleeping  room  in  tenements  or  lodg- 
ing houses  stating  the  number  of  persons  10  years  of  age  or  over  that  may  together 
occupy  the  room  as  a  sleeping  room.  The  agent  or  owner  or  person  having  charge  of 
the  building  is  then  notified  that  they  shall  not  permit  any  such  room  to  be  occupied 
as  sleeping  rooms  by  a  greater  number  of  persons  than  stated  on  said  placard.  The 
Department  has  often  had  offenders  fined  for  violating  this  regulation.  The  penalty 
is  a  fine  of  $100,  or  imprisonment  in  the  workhouse  for  not  more  than  ninety  days,  or 
both,  such  fine  and  imprisonment  in  the  discretion  of  the  Court. 

Overcrowding  of  land  is  prevented  also  by  additional  regulations  in  different  cities. 
London  requires  that  the  rear  of  every  dwelling  house  open  upon  a  space  exclusively 
belonging  to  it  of  not  less  than  150  square  feet,  and  in  all  cases  the  open  space  must  be 
at  least  10  feet  wide  and  extend  throughout  the  entire  width  of  the  building.  Glasgow 
ensures  open  spaces  by  the  provision  that  in  front  of  at  least  one-half  of  every  window 
in  all  sleeping  apartments  there  must  be  an  open  gpacc  equal  to  at  least  three-fourths 
of  the  height  of  the  wall  in  which  each  window  is  placed  from  the  floor  of  the  apart- 
ment to  the  roof  of  the  building;  such  space  to  be  measured  in  a  straight  line  perpen- 
dicular to  the  plane  of  the  window. 

Many  large  foreign  cities  have  demolished  large  areas  of  unsanitary  dwellings 
through  clearance  schemes.  This  has  been  attended  with  very  large  expense  in  prac- 
tically every  city  where  it  has  been  undertaken.  The  methods  chiefly  followed  in  Amer- 
ican cities  to  provide  for  the  condemnation  of  insanitary  buildings  has  been  to  declare 
them  vacated.  Provisions  for  vacating  tenements  and  other  buildings  in  New  York 
City  are  made  by  the  Charter,  but  little  has  been  done  in  this  respect  here.  Through 
the  action  of  a  special  board  for  the  Condemnation  of  Insanitary  Buildings  in  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  during  the  first  four  and  one-half  years  up  to  June  10,  1910,  1,024 
insanitary  buildings  were  demolished  in  that  district,  and  1,226  were  repaired  and  placed 
in  sanitary  and  habitable  conditions. 

The  Board  of  Survey  of  Chicago  has  similar  authority,  and  from  October,  1908, 
to  August  1,  1910,  they  ordered  the  demolition  of  43  insanitary  buildings,  while  26  were 
repaired  and  made  habitable. 


25 

4.     City  Policy  of  Distribution  by  Education. 

The  value  of  educational  effort  and  training  for  rural  occupations 
has  been  appreciated  and  tried  in  a  number  of  cities  in  this  country  and 
abroad.  Ulm,  German}-,  follows  the  policy  of  teaching  children  gardening 
and  encouraging  the  keeping  of  gardens,  putting  a  premium  on  them  by  offering 
prizes.  The  city  requires  also  that  a  certain  proportion  of  the  entire  lot  area  shall  be 
devoted  to  gardens  in  sections  of  the  city,  and  that  the  gardens  in  front  of  the  house 
occupied  by  working  people  shall  be  kept  in  good  condition.  Philadelphia,  Cleveland 
and  Washington,  in  this  country,  have  also  undertaken  a  far-reaching  system  of  train- 
ing in  gardening,  and  have  established  these  school  gardens  and  farm  gardens  in  vari- 
ous sections  of  the  city  under  the  charge  of  the  Department  of  Education.  In  Phila- 
delphia, approximately  $35,000  in  a  single  year  has  been  appropriated  for  this  work  of 
training  children  to  live  outside  of  the  congested  districts.  The  Vacant  Lot  Associa- 
tions also  have  done  a  good  deal  to  interest  people  in  removing  from  congested  sections 
of  the  city,  and  this  method  has  the  encouragement  in  a  number  of  foreign  cities  of 
exemption  from  taxation,  while  in  American  cities,  holders  of  land  often  grant  the  use 
of  land  to  the  general  public  without  any  charge. 

5.  Transit  Lines  as  a  Means  of  Distributing  Pofulatioh 
Transit  lines  may  be  used  either  to  congest  population  or  to  distribute  popula- 
tion. In  Berlin,  owing  to  the  zone  system  of  fares,  high  tenements  of  five  and  six 
stories  are  constructed  right  up  to  the  zone  limits  with  cheap  fares;  the  people  living 
in  these  would  be  glad  if  the  fare  were  uniform  to  go  where  land  is  cheap  and  the 
rents  lower.  Many  foreign  cities,  however,  notably  those  of  England,  Scotland, 
Germany,  Switzerland,  Austria  and  Belgium,  have  recognized  the  value  of  transit 
lines  as  a  means  of  distributing  population. 

In  many  American  cities  the  transit  lines  have  not  been  successful  in  securing 
the  distribution  of  population,  while  the  multiplicity  of  lines  has  resulted  in  the 
necessity  for  transfers.  A  few  cities  in  the  United  States,  however,  have  successfully 
required  the  construction  of  extensions  as  a  means  of  distributing  population.  Thus 
the  franchises  of  the  Indianapolis  Street  Railway  Company  provides  that  the  City 
"may  require  such  reasonable  extensions  of  the  several  lines  of  the  street  railway  of 
the  second  part  (the  Indianapolis  Street  Railway  Company),  or  the  construction  of 
any  such  individual  lines  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  efficient  operation  of  such  rail- 
way and  for  the  convenience  of  the  public."  These  extensions  must  also  be  con- 
structed within  a  reasonable  time,  to  be  fixed  by  the  city  itself.  Similar  provisions 
require  such  extensions  by  the  Minneapolis  street  railway  companies,  and  dates  back 
to  July  17,  1875.  A  similar  clause  was  placed  in  the  franchise  of  the  Milwaukee  Elec- 
tric Railway  Company  franchise,  January  2,  1900. 

In  the  grant  given  to  the  Columbus  Street  Railway  Company,  February,  1901,  it 
is  provided  that  the  Council  may  by  ordinance  require  reasonable  extensions  of  such 
of  the  lines  operated  by  this  Company  for  the  convenience  of  the  public  whenever 
along  the  lines  of  any  such  proposed  extensions  and  between  parallel  lines  400  feet  in 
distance  on  each  side  thereof  there  shall  be  when  extensions  are  ordered  not  less 
than  150  separate  buildings  used  or  occupied  as  dwellings  per  mile,  and  in  like  pro- 
portion for  any  less  distance,  although  the  Company  is  not  required  to  construct  more 
than  one  mile  of  extension  within  one  calendar  year.  The  three  cent  fare  line  which 
is  in  operation  in  Cleveland  has  also  been  an  important  factor  in  securing  the  dis- 
tribution of  population. 

6.     Industrial  Courts  and  Municipal  Bureaus  of  Labor. 

Owing  to  the  close  relation  between  poverty  and  congestion  of  population  and 
the  fact  that  unemployment  and  underemployment  are  so  largelj-  causes  of  poverty, 
many  foreign  cities  have  organized  Industrial  Courts  in  which  differences  between 
employers  and  workers  are  settled  by  arbitration  of  an  impartial  court  representing 
both  interests  affected  and  outside  members  as  well.  Most  of  the  large  English  cities 
have  also  Municipal  Labor  Bureaus  or  exchanges,  through  which  not  onh'  is  em- 
ployment found  for  workers  outside  of  the  city,  but  by  co-operation  of  local  manu- 
facturers and  employers  of  labor,  thousands  secure  employment  in  the  city. 

7.     Municipal  Housing.  Co-operation  of  the  State  in  Housing  Enterprises. 

England  has  led  in  municipal  housing,  and  while  in  most  of  the  cities  the  cost 
of  municipal  housing  has  been  a  heavy  charge  upon  the  rate  payers  (taxpayers)  of  the 
cities,  nevertheless  it  has  resulted  in  diminishing  congestion  and  room  overcrowding. 
Formerly  English  municipalities  constructed  large  tenements,  but  in  recent  years  they 
have  built  chiefly  one  and  two-family  houses  in  the  outlying  sections  of  the  cities, 
and  effectively  prevented  overcrowding  per  acre  in  this  way.  In  Germany,  France, 
Ital^^  Belgium,  Denmark  and  Austria,  among  continental  countries,  the  State  has  co- 


26 

operated  in  securing  better  Iiousint;  for  the  wage  earning  population  by  granting  State 
aid  and  permitting  loans  by  municipalities  to  co-operating  housing  enterprises  and 
societies,  whose  net  profit  is  limited  to  a  low  percentage.  In  Germany  the  Federal 
Government  makes  loans  to  municipalities  from  the  accumulated  funds  of  the  State 
insurance  for  sickness,  old  age,  etc.,  and  the  loan  is  made  at  the  rate  of  from  3y2  to 
4  per  cent.  There  is  in  Germany  practically  no  municipal  construction  of  tenements 
except  for  municipal  employees. 

8.  Co-Partnership  Housing. 
This  movement,  while  of  comparatively  recent  growth,  is  nevertheless  an  ex- 
tremely important  method  of  enabling  wage  earners  with  limited  incomes  to  secure 
their  homes  by  owning  shares  of  a  co-partnership  company  to  an  amount  equal  to 
the  value  of  their  homes.  This  movement  has  been  especially  successful  in  England. 
A  member  of  the  co-partnership  company  who  occupies  a  house  pays  rent,  which  in- 
cludes a  certain  amount  applied  to  the  acquisition  of  stock  in  the  company,  and  when 
he  has  paid  the  cost  of  his  house  he  ceases  to  pay  rent  and  is  paid  a  dividend  on 
the  stock  held  by  him. 

9.  TJic  English  Tozvn  Planning  Act. 
This  Act  was  passed  by  Parliament  in  1909,  and  has  not  been  in  operation  a 
sufficient  length  of  time  to  permit  of  any  definite  valuation  of  its  effects  in  pre- 
venting congestion.  A  similar  Act,  however,  passed  in  Liverpool  several  years  ago, 
has  reduced  the  maximum  permissible  density  of  population  to  under  100  per  acre 
by  restricting  the  number  of  cottages  which  may  be  constructed  per  acre.  The 
English  Town  Planning  Act  provides  that  cities  may  restrict  the  number  of  cottages 
per  acre  in  new  sections  of  the  city  and  may  also  determine  the  laying  out  or  plan- 
ning of  any  development.  By  the  terms  of  this  Act,  the  same  authority  is  given 
English  municipalities  as  is  exercised  by  German  and  other  continental  municipali- 
ties to  prohibit  the  location  of  factories  in  certain  sections  of  the  city  where  their 
presence  would  tend  to  create  congestion,  and  to  encourage  by  this  restrictive  authority 
the  distribution  of  factories  so  as  to  eliminate  the  cost  of  transit  to  the  laborer,  and 
hence  to  increase  the  value  to  him  of  his  present  wages. 

10.     Garden   Cities  and  Garden   Suburbs. 

A  movement  of  much  promise,  which,  however,  has  not  achieved  much  numerical 
success,  is  the  Garden  Cities  and  the  Garden  Suburbs  movement,  which  tends  to  es- 
tablish manufacturing  centres  outside  of  the  centres  of  great  cities.  In  England, 
France  and  Germany,  societies  have  been  organized  for  the  express  purpose  of  en- 
couraging the  location  of  factories  at  a  distance  of  from  25  to  50  miles  from  large 
centres  of  population,  and  also  of  encouraging  the  development  of  garden  cities  and 
suburbs  within  the  boundaries  of  these  great  cities  by  establishing  nuclei  of  factories 
of  such  number  and  of  such  variet}^  that  they  may  be  supplemental  and  that  at  least 
some  of  them  will  be  in  operation  during  the  entire  year. 

Among  the  successful  illustrations  of  garden  cities  may  be  mentioned  Bourne- 
ville,  near  Birmingham ;  Port  Sunlight,  across  the  Mersey  from  Liverpool ;  and  Garden 
City,  Herts  County,  about  45  miles  from  London.  Large  corporations  in  this  country, 
such  as  the  United  States  Steel  Co.,  and  its  subsidiary  companies,  have  also  recognized 
the  economic  value  of  manufacturing  in  small  centres.  Gary,  Indiana,  and  a  number 
of  small  places  in  the  manufacturing  States  of  the  South  are  illustrations  of  this 
effort  to  manufacture  where  operatives  can  live  under  more  sanitary  and  economic 
conditions  than  is  possible  in  the  great  cities. 

The  clothing  manufacturers  of  Chicago  are  also  organizing  a  movement  to  re- 
move to  the  outskirts  of  the  city  and  even  outside  of  Cook  County. 

n.  Industrial  Directories. 
Lack  of  information  of  the  opportunities  and  advantages  of  manufacturing  in 
small  cities  is  one  reason  for  the  concentration  of  factories  in  large  centres.  The 
States  of  New  Jersey  and  Massachusetts  have  attempted  to  overcome  the  concentra- 
tion of  factories  and  consequently  of  population  by  securing  and  disseminating 
throughout  the  State  information  regarding  manufacturing,  industrial  and  economic 
advantages  of  manufacturing  in  small  places.  The  State  of  New  Jersey  publishes 
annually  an  Industrial  Directory,  giving  for  all  villages  of  over  100  population  a 
statement  of  the  advantages  of  manufacturing,  including  information  regarding  the 
railroad  connections,  freight  rates,  water  power,  natural  resources,  labor  market, 
nationalities,  etc.,  and  as  the  result  of  this  directory  there  has  been  a  much  wider 
distribution  of  population  throughout  the  State  of  New  Jersey  than  in  New  York 
State. 


27 

12.     Siiicill  Ilold'uiys  and  Allotinciits. 

The  State  or  Central  Government  in  several  continental  countries  and  England 
have  attempted  to  secure  a  wider  distribution  of  population  through  the  Small  Hold- 
ings and  Allotments  Acts.  This  system  has  been  very  successful  in  Denmark.  The 
report  of  the  Scottish  Deputation  states :  "Tliere  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  Denmark 
the  Government,  bj'  the  promulgation  of  the  manv  laws  so  beneficial  to  the  agricultural 
community,  have  attained  the  object  which  all  along  they  have  had  in  view,  namely, 
the  arresting  of  the  depopulation  of  the  country,  which  was  fast  taking  place,  owing 
to  the  difficulty  in  finding  employment  and  the  consequent  immigration  to  the  towns 
and  emigration  to  foreign  countries.  As  the  result  of  such  a  policy,  in  conjunction 
with  the  excellent  methods  of  education  and  co-operation  systematically  carried  on. 
we  find  a  contented,  intelligent  and   patriotic  peasantry." 

There  were  in  1903  in  Denmark,  232,936  holdings  having  a  total  acreage  of 
6,479,402  acres,  the  average  holding  thus  being  about  23^2  acres,  and  of  these  estates  90 
per  cent,  are  occupied  by  their  owners. 

Over  96,000  acres  have  been  acquired  under  the  Small  Holdings  and  Allotment 
Act  of  1908,  by  the  English  Board  of  Agriculture  and  Fisheries,  by  County  Councils 
and  the  Councils  of  County  Boroughs,  or  were  under  consideration  by  these  legis- 
lative bodies  on  December  31,  1910.  Of  this  acreage  in  England  and  Wales,  58,250 
acres  were  acquired  by  purchase  and  37,861  acres  by  lease,  representing  a  total  of 
1,259  separate  acquisitions  of  land.  The  size  of  the  individual  holdings  vary  from 
3  acres  under  certain  conditions  to  a  usual  maximum  of  16  acres. 

13.     Co-operation. 

Foreign  countries,  as  well  as  private  individuals  in  foreign  countries,  have  recog- 
nized that  in  order  to  attract  people  to  farms  and  small  towns,  farming  and  life  in 
small  towns  must  be  made  not  only  more  attractive,  but  more  profitable.  It  has 
been  found  in  foreign  countries,  as  in  the  United  States,  that  the  farmer  gets  a 
relatively  small  part  of  the  price  paid  by  the  consumer  for  his  product,  and  a  con- 
sistent and  well-organized  effort  has  been  made  to  eliminate  the  middleman  and 
to  reduce  the  cost  of  farm  produce  to  the  consumer,  as  well  as  to  increase  the 
profits  of  the  producers  through  co-operative  stores.  This  has  been  uniquely  suc- 
cessful in  Denmark,  where  it  is  stated  that  owing  to  co-operation,  the  value  of 
the  peasant  farm  is  50  per  cent,  greater  than  the  value  in  larger  holdings,  and  at 
the  same  time  the  cost  of  produce  is  reduced  to  the  consumer  in  the  city  through 
co-operative  stores. 

14.     Outdoor  Relief,  Distress  Coiiniiiftees  and  Relief  Work. 

Most  foreign  countries  have  outdoor  relief,  that  is,  assistance  to  poor  families 
in  their  homes.  Where  this  relief  is  carelessly  administered,  it  tends  to  anchor 
people  in  congested  districts  and  in  insanitary  homes.  Old  age  pensions  in  England, 
however,  have  had  a  marked  effect  upon  the  housing  standard  of  the  English  poor. 
English  cities  have  also  organized  Distress  Committees  to  provide  relief  work  for 
their  poor,  and  much  more  attention  has  been  given  to  this  method  than  has  been 
done  in  America. 

15.     Compulsory    Insurance. 

The  necessity  of  saving  a  certain  amount  with  the  requirement  that  the  em- 
ployer should  also  contribute  toward  sickness  and  old  age  pension,  has  had  a 
marked  effect  in  Germany  in  improving  the  housing  standard  of  the  wage  earners 
after  they  are  incapacitated  from  further  earning,  although  the  requirement  that 
the  workers  should  save  a  certam  amount  during  their  working  period  reduces  to 
some  extent  the  amount  which  they  can  spend  for  their  housing  or  any  o'ther  pur- 
pose. In  the  main,  however,  the  compulsory  development  of  legitimate  thrift  has 
had  a  beneficial  effect  in  improving  the  standard  of  living. 

16.     Emigration. 

Immigration  to  this  country  means  emigration  from  foreign  countries,  and  to 
the  extent  to  which  the  pressure  for  employment  has  been  reduced,  the  wages  have 
tended  to  increase  so  that  the  pressure  of  population  of  many  foreign  countries  has 
been  materially  reduced. 

17.     Shortening  Hours  of  Labor. 

No  statistical  information  has  been  secured  by  the  Commission  as  to  the  results 
of  the  gradual  shortening  of  hours  of  labor,  but  opinions  have  been  expressed  by 
those  qualified  to  judge  that  this  has  been  an  important  factor  in  securing  a  dis- 
tribution   of    population    employed    in    factories. 

18.     Custom  as  an  Effect  in  Securing  Distribution  of  Population. 

It  must  be  recognized  that  in  many  cities  of  the  country,  such  as  Philadelphia, 
Baltimore,   Washington,   Detroit,    Milwaukee,    St.   Louis,    Rochester   and    Buffalo,   al- 


28 

thougli  under  tlie  Building  Laws  and  Tenement  Laws  the  building  of  tenements  of 
the  same  height  as  those  permitted  in  New  York  City  is  legal,  nevertheless,  few 
tenements  of  over  three  stories  in  height  have  been  constructed,  while  two-family 
houses  predominate  in  most  of  these  cities.  This  is  primarily  due  to  the  inherited 
traditions  and  examples  of  the  past,  wdiich  have  been  extremely  important  factors 
in  encouraging  such  construction  and  preventing  until  recent  years  the  beginning 
of  high  tenements. 

19.  Vocational  and  Coiitiniialioii  Scliools. 

While  the  Commission  has  not  made  any  investigation  of  the  organization  of 
the  educational  systems  of  foreign  governments,  it  has  noted  that  the  cities  in 
England  and  Germany  have  taken  the  lead  in  training  young  people  as  well  as  adults 
and  increasing  economic  productiveness  through  vocational  and  continuation  schools. 
The  latter  are  largely  conducted  at  night,  and  although  a  fee  is  often  charged  for 
the  service,  they  are  largely  attended  by  young  apprentices  and  mechanics  and  others 
desiring  to  increase  their  earning  capacity.  To  some  extent  this  has  been  done  in 
American  cities,  including  New  Yonk,  in  the  past  few  years. 

20.  Organised  Labor. 

Unquestionably  the  most  important  and  general  private  agency  or  organization 
in  improving  housing  standards  have  been  the  labor  unions  throughout  the  world, 
since  they  have  insisted  that  their  members  be  paid  enough  to  permit  them  to  main- 
tain a  reasonable  standard  of  living  and  have  placed  housing  as  one  of  the  funda- 
mental elements  in  a  reasonable  standard  of  living,  while  they  have  also  shortened 
the  hours  of  labor.  Their  efforts  have,  however,  been  chiefly  successful  in  prevent- 
ing room  overcrowding,  except  where  they  have  secured  better  housing  regulations, 
which  would  restrict  congestion  through  preventing  the  intensive  use  of  land  and 
the  construction  of  high  buildings. 

21.  Methods  of  Distributing  Ininiigrafion. 

The  system  of  distribution  of  immigrants  in  Canada,  has,  the  Federal  Immigra- 
tion Commission  reports,  been  most  successful.  This  is  due  largely  to  the  develop- 
ment of  western  Canada  and  to  the  purpose  of  the  government  to  populate  that 
region  with  selected  settlers.  To  further  this  end,  Canada  has  developed  an  immi- 
gration policy  which  is  officially  expressed  as  follows : 

1.  Money  is  expended  and  administration  is  exercised  with  the  object  of  secur- 
ing immigrants  whose  purpose  in  life  is  to  occupy  farm  lands,  either  as  owners, 
tenants   or  laborers. 

2.  Money  is  voted  and  administration  is  exercised  with  the  object  of  excluding 
those  whose  presence  in  Canada  would  tend  to  add  to  the  congestion  of  the  towns 
and  cities. 

Although  Canada  makes  persistent  effort  to  promote  immigration  from  de- 
sirable countries,  it  attempts  only  to  secure  those  who  will  work  on  farms.  The 
Canadian  law,  although  designed  to  exclude  the  same  class  of  physical,  mental  and 
moral  defectives  and  delinquents,  as  the  Immigration  Law  of  the  United  States, 
nevertheless  does  not  contain  any  provisions  regarding  polygamists,  anarchists  or 
contract  laborers,  although  such  persons  are  specifically  excluded  by  the  United 
States  Law. 

The  Federal  Immigration  Commission  report  states :  "The  most  striking  fea- 
ture of  the  Canadian  Immigration  Law,  and  the  one  in  which  it  differs  most  widely 
from  the  United  States  Law,  is  its  flexibility  or  adaptability  to  emergencies  or 
changed  conditions.  The  Canadian  Law  confers  almost  unlimited  power  on  the 
governor  in  council  in  matters  respecting  immigration.  In  fact,  it  would  seem  from 
the  terms  of  the  law  that  the  administration  could,  if  deemed  desirable,  not  only 
prohibit  any  particular  class  of  immigration,  but  practically  prohibit  all  immigration 
to  Canada. 

The  Canadian  Law  and  policy  already  developed  under  the  law  in  this  regard 
are  clearly  illustrated  by  reference  to  sections  10,  20  and  30  of  the  immigration  act 
and  to  instances  of  procedure  under  such  sections,  section  10,  above  referred  to,  is 
as   follows : 

The  Governor  in  Council  may,  on  the  recommendation  of  the  Minister,  make 
such  orders  and  regulations,  not  inconsistent  with  this  Act,  as  are  considered  neces- 
sary or  expedient  for  the  carrying  out  of  this  Act.  according  to  its  true  intent  and 
meaning,  and  for  the  better  attainment  of  its  object. 

In  practice  this  section  has  evidently  assumed  an  importance  beyond  what 
is  suggested  by  a  casual  reference  to  its  terms." 

The  report  of  the  Federal  Immigration  Commission  also  analyzes  the  pro- 
posed amendment  to  the  Canadian  Immigration  Law  as  follows : 

"One  feature  of  the  above-mentioned  bill,  taken  from  the  Australian  Immigra- 


29 

tion  Act,  proposes  to  confer  on  the  minister  of  the  interior  the  riglit  to  issue  a 
written  permit  to  any  person  to  enter  Canada  without  being  subject  to  provisions  of 
the  Immigration  Act."  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  proposed  to  invest  the  government 
with  power  to  order  undesirable  immigrants  to  leave  Canada.  Other  sections  of 
the  proposed  law  aim   to  give  the  governor  in  council  authority  to  : 

(a)  Prohibit  the  landing  in  Canada  or  at  any  specified  port  of  entry  in  Canada 
of  any  immigrant  who  has  come  to  Canada  otherwise  than  by  continuous  journey 
from  tl  e  country  of  which  he  is  a  native  or  naturalized  citizen,  and  upon  a  through 
ticket   purchased   in  that   country. 

(b)  Prohibit  the  landing  in  Canada  of  passengers  brought  to  Canada  by  any 
transportation  company  which  refuses  or  neglects  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of 
this  Act. 

(c)  Prohibit  for  a  stated  period  or  permanently  the  landing  in  Canada  or  the 
landing  at  any  specified  port  of  entry  in  Canada,  of  immigrants  belonging  to  any 
race  deemed  unsuited  to  the  climate  or  requirements  of  Canada,  or  of  immigrants 
of  any  specified   class,  occupation  or  character. 

In  short,  it  would  appear  from  the  proposed  law  that  it  is  intended  to  confer 
upon  the  government  the  right  to  admit,  exclude  or  deport  immigrants  whenever  the 
circumstances  warrant. 

"Although  the  number  of  immigrants  rejected  under  the  Canadian  Act  is  pro- 
portionately much  smaller  than  under  the  United  States  Law,  Canada  has  an  addi- 
tional safeguard,  or  second  line  of  defense,  in  the  provision  of  the  Immigration  Act 
which  makes  possible  a  general  deportation  of  aliens  who  become  public  charges 
within  two  years  after  their  landing  in  the  Dominion." 

Section  33  of  the  Immigration  Act  has.  as  the  Commission  reports,  "practically 
established  a  probationary  period  of  two  years  during  which  admitted  immigrants 
may  be  effectively  tested  physically,  mentalty,  morally  and  industrially,  and  de- 
ported to  the  country  whence  they  came  if  found  unworthy.  The  deportation  pro- 
vision in  the  present  Canadian  immigration  law  became  effective  July  13,  1906.  De- 
portations were  possible,  however,  previous  to  that  time,  and  the  record  shows  that 
between  January  1.  1903,  and  March  31,  1909.  3.148  aliens  were  deported." 

The  Commission  continues :  "Canada's  contract  labor  policy  is  exceedingly 
interesting  in  comparison  with  the  United  States  policy  in  that  regard.  An  immi- 
grant coming  to  Canada  without  having  first  assured'  himself  that  some  definite 
employment  awaits  him  is  quite  likely  to  be  debarred  on  that  account  from  enter- 
ing, while  an  immigrant  who  comes  to  the  United  States  with  such  assurance  and 
admits  it,  is  necessarily  excluded  as  a  contract  laborer." 

V.    Recommexd.atioxs  of  the  Commission  for  Relievixg  the  Present  and  Prevent- 
ing Future  Congestion  of  Population  and  Room  Overcrowding. 

1.     Restriction  of  the  Height  or  Volume  of  Buildings  Other  Than  Tenements. 

(a)  That  no  building  hereafter  to  be  erected  in  Manhattan,  south  of  the  south 
side  of  181st  St.,  shall  exceed  a  cubage  or  volume  of  174  times  the  area  of  the  lot,  and 
that  no  building  be  altered  to  exceed  this  cubage.  This  means  that  .no 
building  shall  exceed  a  height  of  174  feet  covering  the  entire  area  of  the  lot. 
If  each  story  were  12  feet  in  height  this  would  permit  of  a  height  of  14  stories 
with  a  basement,  which  would  not  in  any  way  seriously  affect  existing  land  values 
since  a  large  part  of  the  values  of  the  site  is  due  to  accessibility  to  the  multitudes  on 
thoroughfares  for  stores  and  commercial  purposes,  on  the  first  floor. 

(b)  That  no  building  hereafter  to  be  erected  in  any  part  of  New  York  City,  ex- 
cept in  Manhattan,  south  of  the  south  side  of  181st  st.,  shall  exceed  a  cubage  or  vol- 
ume of  120  times  the  area  of  the  lot,  and  that  no  building  in  this  district  shall  be  al- 
tered to  exceed  this  cubage.  This  means  a  restriction  to  about  ten  stories  covering  the 
entile  area  of  the  lot. 

(c)  That  every  building  over  four  stories  or  50  feet  in  height  to  be  occupied  as  a 
factory,  loft,  warehouse  or  other  miscellaneous  buildings  be  of  fireproof  construction. 

(d)  That  when  the  height  of  any  building  except  one  to  be  used  as  a  factory,  loft, 
warehouse  or  other  miscellaneous  buildings  does  not  exceed  one  hundred  feet  (in- 
stead of  twelve  stories,  or  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  as  provided  in  the 
present  building  code),  the  doors  and  windows  and  their  frames,  the  trims,  the  cas- 
ings, the  interior  finish  when  filled  solid  at  the  bark  with  fireproof  material,  and  the 
floor  boards  and  sleepers  directly  underneath  may  be  of  wood. 

(e)  That  when  the  height  of  any  fireproof  building  except  one  to  be  used  as  a 
factory,  loft,  warehouse  or  other  miscellaneous  building  exceeds  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet,  no  wood  may  be  used  in  the  floors  or  as  sleepers  even  if  treated  by  some  process 
now  approved  by  the  Board  of  Buildings  to  render  them  fireproof,  nor  for  the  inside 


30 

window  frames  and  sash,  doors,  trim  and  other  interior  finish  as  permitted  by  the 
present  building  code. 

(f)  That  no  factory  or  loft  building  hereafter  to  be  erected  shall  exceed  a  cubage 
or  volume  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  times  the  area  of  the  lot,  and  that  no  build- 
ing hereafter  altered  to  exceed  this  cubage  or  volume  shall  be  used  for  factory  or 
loft  purposes. 

2.     Restriction  Upon  the  Lot  Occupancy  of  Buildings  Other  Than  Tenements. 

(a)  That  at  the  year  of  every  factorj^  and  loft  building  hereafter  erected,  there 
shall  be  provided  a  yard  open  and  unobstructed  from  the  street  level  to  the  sky  across 
the  entire  width  of  the  lot  and  of  a  depth  equal  to  one-tenth  of  the  height  of  the  build- 
ing, Init  in  no  case  less  than  one-tenth  of  the  depth  of  the  lot,  or  if  the  lot  be  under 
one  hundred  feet  in  depth,  of  a  depth  of  less  than  ten  feet  and  that  no  premises  or 
building  hereafter  erected  shall  be  converted  to  or  occupied  as  a  factory  or  loft  that 
does  not  conform  to  this  requirement. 

(b)  That  there  shall  be  a  yard  extending  across  the  rear  of  lot  of  every  dwelling 
hereafter  erected  to  be  occupied  by  more  than  one  family  equal  to  10  per  cent,  of  the 
depth  of  the  lot,  unobstructed  from  the  ground  level  to  the  sky,  and  all  rooms  of  such 
dwellings  shall  open  and  ventilate  upon  a  street,  yard,  or  court,  not  less  than  4  feet 
wide  or  upon  an  offset  to  such  court  the  depth  of  which  does  not  exceed  the  width  of 
same. 

3.     Restriction   Upon   the  Height  of  Tenements. 

(a)  That  no  tenement  house  hereafter  erected  shall  exceed  in  height  the  width 
of  the  widest  street  upon  which  it  stands  and  that  no  tenement  shall  be  increased  in 
height,  so  that  it  shall  exceed  in  height  the  width  of  the  widest  street  upon  which  it 
stands. 

(b)  That  no  tenement  house  hereafter  erected  in  The  City  of  New  York,  except 
in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan,  south  of  the  south  side  of  181st  st.  shall  exceed  four 
stories  in  height,  except  that  for  every  fifteen  percentum  of  the  lot  area  left  unoc- 
cupied less  than  the  maximum  occupancy  that  is  now  legally  permissible  an  additional 
story  shall  be  permitted  and  a  tenement  house  may  be  five  stories  high  without  being 
of  fireproof  construction  if  it  occupy  fifteen  percentum  less  of  the  lot  area  than  is  now 
legally  permissible. 

(c)  That  every  tenement  house  hereafter  erected  exceeding  four  stories  or  parts 
of  stories  or  fifty  feet  in  height  above  the  curb  level  shall  be  a  fireproof  tenement 
house,  and  that  no  tenement  house  be  altered  so  as  to  exceed  such  height  without 
being  made  a  fireproof  tenement  house. 

(d)  That  tenements  in  outlying  districts  of  the  City  be  restricted  to  three  stories 
in  height  and  an  equivalent  restriction  be  put  upon  the  volume  or  cubage  of  all  build- 
ings other  than  tenements,  and  that  the  Board  of  Aldermen  and  Board  of  Estimate  and 
Apportionment  should  determine  these  districts  or  zones  for  a  period  of  twenty  years. 
4.     Modifications  of  the  Tenement  House  Lazu  Respecting  Three-Family  Tenements 

to  Encourage  the  Construction  of  These  Small  Tenements  with  Feiv  Families,  as 
Follows: 

(a)  That  buildings  not  exceeding  30  feet  in  height,  need  not  have  fire-escapes  or 
stairs  extending  to  the  roof. 

(b)  That  in  tenement  houses  hereafter  erected,  not  exceeding  three  stories  and 
cellar  in  height,  and  arranged  to  be  occupied  by  not  more  than  one  family  on  a  floor 
and  three  families  in  all,  in  lieu  of  stairs  there  shall  be  an  iron  ladder  to  the  roof 
placed  at  an  angle  of  60  degrees,  and  constructed  as  required  by  the  Tenement  House 
Law,  and  that  the  width  of  stairs  in  such  a  three-story  tenement  be  two  feet  and  nine 
inches. 

(c)  That  a  scuttle  shall  be  provided  for  a  three-family  tenement,  twenty-four  by 
thirty-six  inches,  with  a  scuttle  cover  provided  with  a  counter  balance  weight. 

(d)  That  in  tenements  not  exceeding  three  stories  in  height,  the  stair-wells  may 
be  reduced  to  a  width  of  ten  inches  to  extend  from  entrance  floor  to  the  roof. 

(e)  That  windows  in  three-family  tenements  may  be  placed  in  vent  shafts  in  ex- 
isting buildings  when  windows  are  used  to  afford  additional  light  in  halls,  provided 
that  such  windows  are  stationary  and  frames  are  fireproof  and  glazed  with  wire  glass. 

(f)  That  in  three-story  buildings  where  the  bulkhead  to  the  roof  is  omitted,  fire- 
escapes  and  balconies  with  connecting  ladders  be  placed  on  the  rear  of  the  building 
in  accordance  with  such  regulations  as  may  be  adopted  by  the  Tenement  House  De- 
partment. 

.  5.     Measures  to  Prevent  Room  and  Apartment  Overcrowding. 
(a)  That  no  room  in  any  tenement  house  hereafter  to  be  constructed  shall  have 
a  superficial  area  of  less  than  90  square  feet,  and  that  in  every  apartment  there  must 
be  at  least  one  room  whose  superficial  area  is  at  least  150  square  feet. 


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(b)  That  no  apartment  in  a  tenement  house  or  two-family  house  shall  be  so  over- 
crowded that  there  shall  be  afforded  less  than  400  cubic  feet  of  air  space  for  every 
adult,  and  300  cubic  feet  of  air  space  for  every  child  under  12  years  of  age  occupying 
such  apartment,  and  that  a  penalty  of  a  line  not  to  exceed  $25  shall  attach  for  each  vio- 
lation of  this  provision.  The  provision  of  the  present  Tenement  House  Law  regard- 
ing room  overcrowding  applies  to  rooms,  but  it  is  not  .feasible  in  the  judgment  of  the 
Commission  to  enforce  this  in  rooms,  since  they  vary  so  in  dimensions  and  cubical  con- 
tents, and  the  Commission  therefore  recommends  that  apartment  instead  of  rooms  be 
made  the  measure  of  occupancy. 

(c)  That  a  placard  should  be  posted  by  the  Tenement  House  and  Health  De- 
partments in  a  conspicuous  place  in  every  apartment  of  tenement  houses,  and  in  two- 
family  houses  respectiveh',  calling  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  law  forbids  more  than 
the  stated  number  of  adults  and  children  to  occupying  the  apartment,  and  to  the  pen- 
alty attaching  to  a  violation  of  this  law. 

(d)  That  no  lessee  of  any  department  in  any  tenement  house  shall  be  permitted 
to  take  lodgers  without  notifying  in  writing  the  owner  or  responsible  agent  of  the 
tenement  or  dwelling,  who  shall  immediately  report  to  the  Tenement  House  Depart- 
ment, and  that  a  penalty  not  to  exceed  $25  shall  attach  for  each  violation  of  this  pro- 
vision. 

(e)  That  the  owner  or  responsible  agent  of  every  tenement  and  two-family  dwell- 
ing be  required  to  report  to  the  Tenement  House  Dpartment  and  the  Department  of 
Health  respectively  any  violation  of  the  law  against  overcrowding  on  the  part  of  his 
tenants,  where  he  is  unable  personally  to  prevent  such  overcrowding  by  serving  the 
tenant  with  a  written  statement  (of  which  the  owner  is  to  keep  a  copy),  that  he  is 
violating  the  law,  and  that  the  lessee  of  an  apartment  in  a  tenement  house  secure  a 
license  from  the  Tenement  House  Department  and  the  lessee  of  an  apartment  in  a 
two-family  house  secure  a  <  license  from  the  Departmnt  of  Health  before  taking 
lodgers. 

(f)  That  a  Bureau  of  Occupancy  be  created  in  the  Department  of  Health  charged 
with  the  enforcement  of  the  law  against  overcrowding  in  apartments  of  two-family 
houses. 

6.     Measures  to  Secure  Better  Conditions  of  Labor. 

First — The  enlargement  of  the  State  Department  of  Labor  in  New  York  City  by 
providing : 

(a)  A  Deputy  Commissioner  of  Labor  for  New  York  City. 

(b)  More  Factory  Inspectors. 

(c)  Appropriate  legislation  to  enable  the  State  Department  of  Labor  to  en- 

force its  regulations. 

Second — The  creation  of  an  Industrial  Commission  for  New  York  City  composed 
of  three  persons,  one  to  be  nominated  by  the  Employers'  Associations  of  the  City,  one 
by  the  Labor  Unions  of  the  City  and  one  to  be  selected  by  the  Mayor  and  all  to  be 
appointed  by  him.     The  duties  of  this  Industrial  Commission  to  be : 

To  investigate  labor  conditions  and  wages  paid  both  skilled  and  unskilled  workers 
of  every  class  in  the  City,  whether  organized  or  not,  and  to  investigate  disputes  when 
strikes  or  lockouts  are  threatened  and  after  they  occur. 

Third — The  creation  by  legislation  of  a  series  of  employment  offices  in  the  larger 
cities  of  the  State  with  special  provisions  for  well  equipped  offices  of  this  nature  in 
New  York  City,  or  the  creation  of  a  Municipal  Employment  Bureau  with  several 
branches  in  New  York  City,  including  at  least  one  in  each  Borough,  which  should  keep 
a  record  of  the  opportunities  for  employment  in  New  York  City  and  outside,  and  fur- 
nish this  information  free  or  at  a  minimum  charge  to  all  looking  for  employment. 

Fourth — The  creation  of  a  National  Department  of  Labor,  which  should  be  co- 
ordinate with  the  Department  of  Commerce,  the  duties  of  this  Department  to  be  two- 
fold: 

(a)  To  give  the  widest  publicity  throughout  the  State  and  country  to  the 

opportunities  for  work  by  a  system  of  Labor  Bureaus  or  Exchanges 
in  different  sections  of  the  country. 

(b)  To  give  the  widest  publicity  throughout  the  country  to  the  conditions 

of  labor,  and  wages  paid,  permanency  of  employment  and  local  con- 
ditions. 

7.     Measures  to  Secure  a  Better  Distribution  of  Factories. 
(a)   That  500  cubic  feet  of  air  space  be  provided  for  every  employee  of  any  fac- 
tory instead  of  250  cubic  feet  of  air  space,  as  at  present,  and  not  less  than  600_  cubic 
feet  of  air  space  for  every  employee  when  emoloyed  between  the  hours  of  6  in  the 
evening  and  6  in  the  morning,  under  the  provisions  of  the  present  Labor  Law. 


32 

(b)  By  adequate  improvement  of  the  waterfronts  in  all  Boroughs  with  piers  and 
docks  for  factor_v  purposes  and  with  warehouses. 

(c)  That  freight  lines  be  built  connecting  all  the  Boroughs  as  soon  as  possible. 

(d)  That  the  ferriage  charges  for  trucks  on  Municipal  Ferries  be  equalized  to  the 
present  minimum. 

(e)  Further  provisions  for  carrying  trucks  on  Municipal  Ferries  by  altering  the 
existing  boats  so  that  they  can  carry  four  lines  or  rows  of  trucks,  and  by  requiring 
that  boats  to  be  constructed  in  the  future  have  the  same  capacity  for  trucks. 

8.     Reconuuendations    Regarding     Parks,     Playgrounds,     Schools     and     Recreation 

Centres. 

(a)  That  the  City  acquire  land  early  in  advance  of  future  public  needs. 

(b)  That  land  for  parks  in  the  outlying  Boroughs  should  be  paid  for  partly  by 
the  property  benefited,  partly  by  the  Borough  in  which  located,  and  partly  by  the  City 
at  large. 

(c)  That  adequate  appropriations  be  made  for  the  maintainance  of  parks  and 
playgrounds  and  for  their  supervision 

(d)  That  adequate  appropriation  be  made  to  the  Department  of  Education  to  pro- 
vide a  teacher  for  every  40  pupils  in  the  elementary  schools  on  the  basis  of  the  regis- 
tration, and  within  one-third  of  a  mile  of  the  homes  of  pupils  ten  years  of  age  and 
under,  and  three-quarters  of  a  mile  of  the  homes  of  pupils  over  ten  years  of  age,  and 
further  that  a  suitable  schoolroom  be  provided  on  the  same  basis  for  every  40  pupils 
registered 

(e)  That  no  school  building  outside  of  Manhattan  should  be  over  three  stories 
in  height  nor  have  accommodations  for  more  than  1,500  pupils,  and  that  not  more  than 
40  seats  should  be  provided  in  ordinary  classrooms  in  any  elementary  school. 

(f)  That  adequate  yard  area  should  be  purchased  with  every  school  site,  so  as  to 
accommodate  the  children  of  the  neighborhood. 

(g)  That  the  Department  of  Education  be  requested  togive  more  instruction^  in 
physiology  and  hygiene,  and  impress  upon  the  children  the  evils  of  room  overcrowding 
and  its  physical  effects. 

(h)   That  greater  provision  be  made  for  school  farms  and  training  in  gardening. 

(i)  That  the  City  provide  more  parks  and  playgrounds  and  recreation  centres  in 
the  outlying  districts. 

9    Measures  to  Keep   Land  Cheap  and  Promote   the  Provision   of  Good  and  Cheap 

Housing. 

(a)  That  the  rate  of  taxation  upon  all  buildings  be  half  the  rate  of  taxation  upon 
all  land,  and  that  this  reduction  be  secured  by  an  equal  change  in  each  of  five  con- 
secutive years 

(b)  The  question  of  recommending  an  unearned  increment  tax  has  been  stronglv 
advocated  before  the  Commission.  The  principal  argument  advanced  in  support  of  the 
imposition  of  such  a  tax  is  that  in  nearly  every  instance  where  real  estate  values  have 
increased  such  increase  has  been  due  wholly  to  public  improvements  and  to  the 
general  development  of  the  City,  and  in  no  way  to  action  on  the  part  of  the  property 
owner. 

Some  members  of  the  Commission  have  strongly  urged  that  this  Commission 
should  advocate  such  a  tax  to  be  levied  annually  on  the  increase  in  the  assessed  valua- 
tions of  land — the  proceeds  of  the  tax  to  constitute  a  fund  to  be  used  exclusively  for 
the  construction  of  rapid  transit  undertakings. 

The  Commission  has  refrained  from  making  such  a  recommendation  because 
they  believe  that  the  subject  requires  greater  study  and  investigation  than  they  have 
been  able  to  give  it,  and  because  there  is  a  division  of  opinion  among  the  members  as 
to  the  expediency  of  such  a  tax  at  present.  The  Commission,  however,  refer  this 
question  to  the  officers  of  the  City  Government,  with  the  request  that  it  be  examined 
and  considered  by  them,  and  that  public  hearings  be  had  in  order  to  determine  what 
action,  if  any,  should  be  taken  by  the  City  with  respect  to  this  tax. 

(c)  That  as  a  means  of  ascertaining  the  true  price  of  land  and  of  taxing  it  justly, 
the  true  price  be  required  to  be  registered  when  the  property  is  sold,  so  that  the  taxing 
officials  may  have  definite  information  upon  which  to  base  their  assessment. 

Since  a  comprehensive  system  of  transit  is  preferable  for  uniform  and  universal 
transfers  and  unified  operation,  and  since  subways  and  elevated  lines  furnish  the  key 
to  urban  transit  systems  and  the  control  of  these  expensive  links  will,  sooner  or  later, 
bring  complete  control  of  all  street  railway  transit  facilities,  the  following  measures 
are  advocated  for  the  adequate  development  of  the  City's  transit  system : 

(d)  That  the  existing  perpetual  franchises  should  be  terminated  as  opportunity 
offers  by  forfeiture,  where,  through  neglect  or  non-compliance  with  the  law,  they 
should  be  forfeited,  or  through  condemnation  or  through  purchase  or  through  negotia- 
tion, substituting  modern  short  or  indeterminate  franchises  for  theni. 


33 

(e)  That  the  transit  system  of  the  city  should  be  extended  so  as  to  utilize  to  their 
full  capacity  the  subways,  bridges  and  elevated  lines,  and  so  as  to  bring  people  from 
the  outlying  Boroughs  directly  into  the  principal  business  districts  with  quick  service 
and  for  a  single  fare. 

(f)  That  lines  should  be  run  into  all  sections  of  the  City,  although  some  such 
lines  may  not  pay  money  profits  at  first,  because  they  will  be  extremely  profitable  from 
the  point  of  view  of  conserving  the  general  welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  citizens,  and 
in  developing  the  City. 

(g)  That  the  City  extend  its  lines  to  the  Queens  side  of  the  Queensborough 
Bridge  and  through  the  Steinway  Tunnel  into  several  portions  of  the  Borough  of 
Queens,  and  if  this  fails  that  the  franchise  for  the  use  of  the  bridge  and  tunnel  should 
provide  for  the  operation  for  one  fare,  of  extensions,  into  Queens. 

(h)  That  all  franchises  for  the  operation  of  surface,  elevated  or  subway  lines  shall 
contain  a  provision  for  transfers  to  and  from  all  such  lines  which  they  own,  operate 
or  control. 

(i)  That  a  subway  should  be  constructed  as  early  as  possible  into  the  Borough 
of  Richmond,  to  provide  equal  transit  for  its  extensive  area,  and  that  pending  the 
completion  of  such  a  route  forty  tickets  should  be  sold  for  $1.00  on  the  Municipal 
Ferry  to  Richmond  for  the  relief  of  people  of  small  or  moderate  means  who  live 
there.  This  is  advocated  because  the  City  has  constructed  at  enormous  expense 
bridges  connecting  all  other  boroughs  with  Manhattan,  and  the  use  of  these  bridges  is 
free,  while  there  is  no  free  connection  with  Richmond. 

(j)  That  the  Rapid  Transit  Law  be  so  amended  as  to  confer  upon  the  Public 
Service  Commission  and  the  City  authorities  the  same  powers  with  respect  to  surface 
lines  as  they  now  have  with  respect  to  rapid  transit  lines. 

(k)  The  preparation  by  the  City  through  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportion- 
ment of  a  plan  for  the  entire  City  which  shall  include  the  following  items  : 

(1)  The  restriction  of  factories  to  certain  districts. 

(2)  The  provision  of  transit  lines  and  means  of  carrying  freight  upon  the  basis 
of  such  a  districting  of  the  City. 

(3)  The  determination  of  the  main  lines  of  streets  and  secondary  streets  as  sug- 
gested by  Mr.  Nelson  P.  Lewis,  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Board  of  Etimate  and  Appor- 
tionment. 

(4)  Provision  of  sewers  and  methods  of  sewage  disposal  and  substructures  fur 
pipes. 

(5)  Provision  of  adequate  sites  for  parks  and  pIa3'grounds  and  recreation  centres 
and  Municipal  buildings  of  various  parts. 

(6)  Acquisition  of  adequate  land  by  the  City  for  all  public  purposes. 

(1)  That  as  a  means  of  reducing  rents,  and  with  the  sanction  of  the  Board  of 
Estimate  and  Apportionment  in  each  case,  streets  in  outlying  districts  may  be  30 
feet  wide,  and  houses  be  set  back  from  15  to  20  feet  from  the  curb  line  so  as  to  per- 
mit the  widening  of  street  subsequently  at  a  small  expense. 

(m)   That  subways  for  passengers  be  provided  at  crowded  street  crossings. 

(n)  Excess  condemnation  of  land,  through  which  the  city  may  acquire  more  land 
than  is  required  for  a  specific  improvement,  and  resell  or  rent  the  surplus. 

10.     Measures  to  Promote  Health  and  Safety. 

(a)  That  when  in  the  judgment  of  the  Tenement  House  Department  the  minimum 
requirement  of  window  space  and  other  means  of  ventilation  and  lighting  required  by 
the  law  are  not  sufficient  in  any  tenement  house  apartment  to  make  rooms  sanitary 
and  habitable,  said  Department  shall  be  empowered  upon  a  certificate  being  signed  by 
two  medical  inspectors  as  to  the  above  facts  to  cause  the  vacating  of  said  apartment 
or  part  thereof  in  the  manner  prescribed  by  law. 

(b)  That  a  staflf  of  medical  inspectors  who  are  qualified  physicians  shall  be  as 
signed  by  the  Department  of  Health  to  the  Tenement  House  Department,  who  shall 
pass  upon  all  cases  of  vacating  of  an   insanitary  tenement  house  or  part  thereof  in 
which  there  may  be  any  contagious  disease  or  which  is  unfit   for  human  habitation, 
except  in  the  case  of  new  tenements  awaiting  a  certificate  of  compliance. 

(c)  That  the  Tenement  House  Department  of  The  City  of  New  York  shall  at 
such  times  and  in  such  manner  as  may  to  it  seem  best  cause  an  mspection  and  ex- 
amination to  be  made  of  all  tenement  houses,  and  wherever  it  shall  be  found  that 
any  such  tenement  house  or  part  thereof  is  infected  with  contagious  disease  or  that 
it  is  unfit  for  human  habitation  or  occupancy,  or  dangerous  to  life  or  health  by  reason 
of  want  of  repair  or  defects  in  the  drainage,  plumbing,  lighting,  ventilation,  or  the 
construction  of  the  same,  or  by  reason  of  the  existence  on  the  premises  of  a  nuisance 
likely  to  cause  sickness  among  the  occupants  of  said  house,  the  Department  shall  issue 
an  order  requiring  all  persons  therem  to  vacate  such  house  or  part  thereof  within  not 


34 

less  than  twenty-four  liours  nor  more  than  ten  days,  for  the  reasons  to  be  mentioned  in 
said  order,  and  that  the  Board  of  Health  should  cause  a  similar  inspection  and  ex- 
amination to  be  made  of  all  buildings  other  than  tenements. 

(d)  That  whitewashing  of  tenement  house  walls  every  year  be  required  by  law. 

(e)  That  in  tenement  houses  not  exceeding  four  stories  in  height 
and  not  having  more  than  two  families  on  each  floor,  with  courts  of  the  width  now 
required,  a  family  be  permitted  to  occupy  the  basement. 

(f)  That  the  Commissioner  of  the  Tenement  House  Department  be  made  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Board  of  llcaltii,  witli  a  vole  on  all  matters  pertaming  to  his  Department. 

(^r)  That  manufacturing  in  tenement  houses  be  adequately  regulated  and  if 
possible  prohibited  by  law. 

11.'    Measures  to  Fromote  the  Distribution  of  l'opuicitio)i  Througli  Aluiiicifal  Control 
Over  Charities  and  by  Public  Outdoor  Relief. 

(a)  The  creation  of  a  Board  of  Trustees  of  Public  Outdoor  Relief  to  be  pro- 
vided with  an  ofTice,  administrator  and  investigators  which  shall  supervise  the  dis- 
pensing of  outdoor  relief  to  the  dependent  members  of  families  of  consumptives  when 
after  investigation  into  the  circumstances  of  all  such  persons,  it  is  established  that 
the  dependent  members  of  the  family  of  such  consumi)tive  or  consumptives  are  not  able 
to  maintain  themselves,  provided  however,  that  the  dependent  members  of  the  family 
of  such  consumptive  or  consumptives  move  into  a  section  of  the  City  where  the  popu- 
lation is  not  greater  than  three  hundred  to  the  acre  in  the  ward,  and  provided,  also, 
that  the  dependent  members  of  the  family  of  such  consumptive  or  consumptives  are 
living  under  such  surroundings  as  are  approved  by  this  Board  or  their  representatives. 

(b)  That  this  Board  of  Trustees  of  Public  Outdoor  Relief  shall  have  power  to 
dispense  outdoor  relief  to  indigent  widows  with  children,  if  such  widows  are  com- 
petent to  care  for  their  children,  provided,  however,  that  they  care  for  their  children 
themselves  and  that  they  live  in  a  ward  having  a  density  of  less  than  three  hundred 
to  the  acre  and  under  such  surroundings  as  are  approved  by  this  Beard  of  Trustees 
of  Public  Outdoor  Relief,  or  their  representatives. 

(c)  The  creation  in  the  Comptroller's  Office  of  a  bureau  for  the  supervision 
of  all  charitable  institutions  in  The  City  of  New  York  whose  property  is  exempt  from 
taxation  under  paragraph  7,  of  section  4  of  the  Tax  Law. 

The  Chief  Officer  of  this  Bureau  should  be  called  the  examiner  of  institutions 
and  be  appointed  by  the  Comptroller  to  investigate  the  work  done  by  these  institutions 
and  methods  of  accounting  and  report  to  the  Comptroller  from  time  to  time  as  to 
whether  these  institutions  are  doing  work  which  entitles  them  to  exemption  from 
taxation  and  should  make  recommendations  to  the  institutions  regarding  the  conduct 
of  their  work.  The  Comptroller  should  be  authorized  to  appoint  for  the  work  of 
this  Department  as  many  expert  accountants,  examiners  of  accounts  and  other 
employees  as  he  deems  necessary. 

(d)  That  the  City  encourage  the  removal  of  charitable  institutions,  except  emer- 
gency hospitals  and  similar  institutions,  from  the  congested  districts. 

(e)  The  extension  of  the  prmciple  of  the  City  Farm  Colony  and  the  acquisition 
of  tracts  of  land  bv  the  City  in  the  outlying  boroughs  for  the  extending  of  the  work 
of  the  City  Farm  Colony  and  for  teaching  adults  methods  of  earning  a  living  such  as 
agriculture  and  gardening. 

(/)  That  the  private  charities  of  the  City  be  urged  to  dispense  their  relief  so  as 
to  encourage  the  distribution  of  population  from  congested  districts  and  to  encourage 
the  recipients  of  their  relief  to  learn  other  trades  than  those  of  congested  city  life. 

12.     Rccoimnendation  Regarding  Immigration. 

(a)  Abolition  of  the  time  limit  on  the  Government's  right  to  deport  aliens  for 

cause.  ^      .  ,  11 

(b)  Progressive  legislation   looking  toward  the  effective   control   over   aliens   by 

the  Federal  Government.  ^    ,      <-         t-v  ,.     t 

(c)  That  the  Bureau  of  Industries  and  Immigration  of  the  State  Department  ot 
Labor  be  urged  to  encourage  the  immigrants  to  becorne  farm  laborers  and  to  dis- 
courage the  segregating  of  immigrants  in  congested  sections  of  this  City. 

(d)  Measures  to  prevent  artificial  stimulation  of  immigration. 

(e)  The  establishment  of  City  and  State  farms  on  the  principles  of  those  State 
institutions  which  have  proved  successful.  ...,.,       ,      ,  ,     , 

(/)  Publication  of  information  as  to  the  opportunities  in  high  schools  and  eise- 
where  to  learn  the  English  language.  .  ,.  ,      , 

(g)  Change  of  Federal  and  State  laws  to  provide  for  the  immediate  deporta- 
tion of  convicted  aliens  to  relieve  the  overcrowding  conditions  of  our  State  Penal 
Institutions,  in  which  there  is  a  large  proportion  of  alien  convicts. 


35 

13.     Rcconiiioidatioiis   Regarding   Dclutqitciicy   in    Congested   Districts. 

(a)  The  closing  of  streets  in  the  congested  districts  during  certain  hours  of  the 
day  so  that  the  children  of  those  districts  may  use  them  for  playgrounds. 

(b)  That  the  Department  of  Education  be  urged  to  arrange  talks  for  mothers 
on  the  danger  to  children  of  occuping  rooms  with  lodgers. 

(c)  That  more  physical  exercise  be  provided  for  children  in  the  Public  Schools. 

14.     RcconiDiendatioiis  Regarding   Rublic  Squares  and   Buildings. 

(a)  That  there  should  be  in  every  borough  at  least  one  large  area  for  the  pub- 
lic administration  buildings  in  the  Borough  and  a  series  of  sub-civic  centers  with 
groupings  of  administration  buildings. 

(b)  That  there  should  be  in  each  borough  a  grouping  of  public  buildings  such 
as  schoolhouses,  libraries,  etc.,  except  tire  stations,  in  a  park  with  open  grounds  around 
them. 

{c)  That  the  City  provide  recreational  playhouses  or  at  least  sites  for  these  in 
the  civic  centres. 

The  foregoing  report  is  hereby  respectfully  submitted  by  order  of  the  Commis- 
sion. JACOB  A.  CANTOR,   Chairman. 

The  following  are  the  bills  and  ordinances  proposed  by  the  Commission  to  carry 
their  recommendations  into  effect ; 
AN  ORDINANCE  to  amend  the  Building  Code  of  The  City  of   New   York   by  the 

substitution  for  the  present  section  9  of  a  new  section  to  be  known  as  section  9, 

defining  factories  and  lofts  and  limiting  the  construction  thereof,  and  limiting  the 

use  of  lots. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  The  City  of  New  York  as  follows : 

Section  1.  The  Building  Code  of  The  City  of  New  York  is  hereby  amended  by 
the  sub.'^titution  for  the  present  section  9  of  a  new  section  to  be  known  as  section  9, 
to  read  as  follows : 

Section  9.  A  factory  or  loft  building  shall  be  construed  to  include  every  building 
occupied  wholly  or  in  part  by  any  mill,  workshop  or  any  other  manufacturing  or  busi- 
ness establishment  where  one  or  more  persons  are  employed  at  labor.  At  the  rear  of 
every  factory  or  loft  building  hereafter  erected  there  shall  be  provided  a  yard  open 
and  unobstructed  from  the  street  level  to  the  sky  across  the  entire  width  of  the  lot 
and  of  a  depth  equal  to  one-tenth  of  the  height  of  the  building,  but  in  no  case  less 
than  one-tenth  of  the  depth  of  the  lot,  or  if  the  lot  be  under  one  hundred  feet  in 
depth,  or  a  depth  less  than  ten  feet.  No  premises  or  building  hereafter  erected  shall 
be  converted  to,  or  occupied  as  a  factory  or  loft  building  that  does  not  conform  to 
this  requirement.  No  factory  or  loft  building  hereafter  to  be  erected  shall  exceed  a 
cubage  or  volume  of  132  times  the  area  of  the  entire  lot  upon  which  it  is  located. 
No  building  hereafter  to  be  constructed  shall  be  converted  to  or  be  occupied  as  a 
factory  or  loft  building  unless  it  conforms  to  this  requirement. 

Sec.  2.     This  ordinance  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Greater  New  Y'ork  Charter  in  relation  to   Insanitary  Rooms 

or  Apartments. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  Y'ork,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  twelve  hundred  and  ninety-nine  of  the  Greater  New  York 
Charter,  as  re-enacted  by  chapter  four  hundred  and  sixty-six  of  the  laws  of  nineteen 
hundred  and  one,  is  hereby  amended  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  1299.  Infected  and  Uninhabitable  houses  to  be  Condemned  by  Board  of 
Health — [Whenever  it  shall  be  certified  to  the  Board  of  Health  of  The  City  of  New 
Y^ork  by  the  Sanitary  Superintendent  or  an  Assistant  Sanitary  Superintendent  that  any 
building  or  any  part  thereof  in  The  City  of  New  Y'ork  is  infected  with  contagious 
disease,  or  by  reason  of  want  of  repair  has  become  dangerous  to  life,  or  is  unfit  for 
human  habitation  because  of  defects  in  drainage,  plumbing,  ventilation,  or  the  con- 
struction of  the  same,  or  because  of  the  existence  of  a  nuisance  on  the  premises, 
which  is  likely  to  cause  sickness  among  its  occupants,  the  said  Board  of  Health  may 
issue  an  order  requiring  all  persons  therein  to  vacate  such  building  or  part  thereof 
for  the  reasons  to  be  stated  therein  as  aforesaid.]  The  Board  of  Health  of  The  City 
of  New  York  shall  at  such  times  and  in  such  manner  as  may  to  it  seem  best,  cause  an 
inspection  and  examination  to  be  made  of  all  buildings  other  than  tenements  in  The 
City  of  New  York,  and  wherever  it  shall  be  found  that  any  such  building  or  part 
thereof  is  infected  with  contagious  disease,  or  by  reason  of  want  of  repair  has  be- 
come dangerous  to  life  or  is  unfit  for  hitman  habitation  or  occupancy  because  of  de- 
fects in  drainage,  lighting,  plumbing,  Toitilation,  or  the  construction  of  the  same,  or 
because  of  the  existence  of  a  nuisance  on  the  premises,  which  is  likely  to  cause  sick- 


36 

iicss  among  its  occupants,  the  said  Board  of  Health  shall  issue  an  order  requiring  all 
persons  therein  to  vacate  such  building  or  part  thereof  for  the  reasons  to  be  stated 
herein  as  aforesaid. 

Said  Board  shall  cause  said  order  to  be  affixed  conspicuously  in  the  building  or 
part  thereof  and  to  be  personally  served  on  the  owner,  lessees,  agent,  occupant,  or  any 
person  having  the  charge  or  care  thereof;  if  the  owner,  lessee  or  agent  cannot  be  found 
in  The  City  of  New  York  or  does  not  reside  therein,  or  evades  or  resists  service,  then 
said  order  may  be  served  by  depositing  a  copy  thereof  in  the  post-office,  in  The  City 
of  New  York,  properly  enclosed  and  addressed  to  such  owner,  lessee,  or  agent  at  his 
last  known  place  of  business  and  residence,  and  on  prepaying  the  postage  thereon; 
such  building  or  part  thereof  shall,  within  ten  days  after  said  order  shall  have  been 
posted  and  mailed  as  aforesaid,  or  within  such  shorter  time,  not  less  than  twenty-four 
hours,  as  in  said  order  may  be  specified,  be  vacated,  but  said  Board  of  Health,  when- 
ever it  shall  become  satisfied  that  the  danger  from  said  building  or  part  thereof  has 
ceased  to  exist,  or  that  said  building  had  been  repaired  so  as  to  be  habitable,  may 
revoke  said  order. 

Sec.  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ORDINANCE  to  restrict  the  cubage  or  volume  of  all  buildings  hereafter  to  be 
constructed  in  The  City  of  New  York. 

Be  it  Ordained  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  The  City  of  New  York  as  fol- 
lows : 

Section  1.  No  building  hereafter  to  be  erected  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan, 
south  of  the  south  side  of  181st  street,  shall  exceed  a  cubage  or  volume  of  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-four  times  the  area  of  the  lot  upon  which  it  is  located,  and  no  build- 
ing hereafter  to  be  erected  in  The  City  of  New  York,  except  in  the  Borough  of  Man- 
hattan, south  of  the  south  side  of  181st  street  shall  exceed  a  cubage  or  volume  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  times  the  area  of  the  lot  upon  which  it  is  located.  No  building 
now  erected  in  either  of  these  two  district  shall  be  altered  to  exceed  the  maximun> 
cubage  permitted  in  such  district. 

Sec.  2.     This  Ordinance  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

.AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Greater  New  York  Charter  by  creating  a  Board  of  Trustees 
of  Public  Outdoor  Relief  in  The  City  of  New  York. 

The  people  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Chapter  thirteen  of  the  Greater  New  Y'ork  Charter  as  re-enacted  by 
chapter  four  hundred  and  sixty-six  of  the  laws  of  nineteen  hundred  and  nine  is  hereby 
amended  by  the  addition  of  a  new  title  to  be  known  as  title  five  thereof,  which  shall 
contain  a  new  section  and  to  read  as   follows  : 

Title  V. 

Board  of  Trustees  of  Public  Outdoor  Relief  in  The  City  of  New  York. 

Section  693-bl.  On  the  first  day  of  July,  nineteen  hundred  and  eleven,  the  au- 
thority to  dispense  public  outdoor  relief  as  provided  in  this  section  shall  be  vested  in  a 
board  of  trustees  which  shall  be  known  as  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Public  Outdoor 
Relief,  and  which  shall  on  this  date  undertake  the  duties  herein  prescribed. 

Said  Board  of  Trustees  shall  consist  of  seven  residents  of  The  City  of  New  York, 
together  with  the  commissioner  of  public  charities,  ex-officio.  In  the  month  of  June, 
nineteen  hundred  and  eleven,  the  Mayor  of  The  City  of  New  York  shall  appoint  one 
resident  of  The  City  of  New  York  to  serve  as  such  trustee  for  the  term  of  one  year, 
one  for  the  term  of  two  years,  one  for  the  term  of  three  years,  one  for  the  term  of 
four  years  and  one  for  the  term  of  five  years,  one  for  the  term  of  si.x  years  and  one 
for  the  term  of  seven  years,  from  the  first  day  of  June,  nineteen  hundred  and  eleven. 
In  the  month  of  July,  and  on  or  before  the  twentieth  day  thereof,  prior  to  the  expiration 
of  the  term  of  office  of  any  trustee,  the  mayor  shall  appoint  his  successor  for  the  full 
term  of  seven  years.  The  mayor  shall  fill  any  vacancy  in  the  board  caused  by  the 
death  of  a  trustee,  his  resignation,  removal  from  the  city  or  otherwise,  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  trustee  to  hold  office  for  the  unexpired  term.  Every  person  appointed  to 
serve  as  such  trustee  shall,  before  entering  upon  the  duties  of  his  office,  take  and 
subscribe  the  oath  of  office  prescribed  by  the  constitution  of  the  state. 

2.  For  the  purpose  of  making  the  appointments  aforesaid,  the  said  mayor  shall 
call  upon  the  president  or  other  executive  head  of  each  of  the  following  organizations, 
to  wit:  The  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  The  City  of  New  York,  the  Particular  Council 
of  New  York  of  the  Society  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul  in  New  York,  the  New  York 
Association  for  Improving  the  Condition  of  the  Poor,  the  Charity  Organization  So- 
ciety of  The  City  of  New  York,  the  Brooklyn  Bureau  of  Charities  and  the  Central 
Labor  Union  of  Brooklyn  to  present  a  list  of  not  less  than  twice  the  number  of  per- 


37 

sons  to  be  appointed  members  of  said  board  of  trustees,  to  fill  a  vacancy  or  otherwise. 
Notice  in  writing  of  the  dates  in  which  appointments,  including  the  first,  to  said  board 
of  trustees  are  proposed  to  be  made  shall  be  given  by  the  mayor  to  each  of  said  presi- 
dents or  other  executive  heads  at  least  ten  days  prior  thereto,  and  such  list  of  names 
shall  be  so  presented  within  three  days  after  the  receipt  of  such  notice.  Said  presi- 
dents or  other  executive  heads  may  each  submit,  or  two  or  more  of  them  may  jointly 
present,  such  a  list  of  names.  Appointments  to  said  board  of  trustees  may  in  the 
discretion  of  the  mayor  be  made  from  such  list  or  lists. 

3.  No  trustee  shall  receive  compensation  for  his  services,  materials  or  supplies  of 
any  kind  to  or  for  said  relief  by  contract,  or  otherwise.  No  trustee  shall  hold  any 
office  of  emolument  under  the  city,  county,  state  or  national  government,  except  the 
offices  of  notary  public,  or  commissioner  of  deeds  or  offices  in  the  national  guard. 

4.  Said  board  of  trustees  shall  organize  within  ten  days  after  said  trustees  are 
appointed.  It  shall  annually  choose  from  its  members,  at  a  regular  meeting  to  be  held 
in  the  month  of  January,  a  president  and  a  secretary  for  the  term  of  one  year.  It 
shall  establish  rules  and  regulations  for  the  administration  and  dispensing  of  said  public 
outdoor  relief.  It  shall  administer  the  moneys  appropriated  for  said  public  outdoor 
relief,  subject  to  the  general  provisions  of  this  act  relative  to  the  audit  and  payment  of 
claims.  Said  board  shall  have  power  to  appoint  and  at  pleasure  to  remove  such  super- 
intendents, subordinate  officers  and  other  employees  as  may  be  necessary  for  the 
efficient  administration  of  said  public  outdoor  relief,  subject  to  the  civil  service  laws 
and  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  municipal  civil  service  commission.  The  board 
of  trustees  shall  keep  accurate  and  detailed  accounts,  in  a  form  approved  by  the 
Comptroller,  or  all  moneys  received  and  expended  by  it,  the  sources  from  which  they 
are  received  and  the  purposes  for  which  they  are  expended.  It  shall,  during  the  month 
of  January  in  each  year  transmit  to  the  mayor  a  report  as  to  these  under  its  care  and 
the  dispensing  of  public  outdoor  relief  during  the  j'ear  ending  the  preceeding  thirty- 
first  day  of  December. 

5.  Said  board  of  trustees  shall  have  power  to  dispense  outdoor  relief  to  the  de- 
pendent members  of  a  family  of  a  consumptive  or  consumptives  when,  after  investi- 
gation into  the  circumstances  of  all  such  persons  it  is  established  that  the  dependent 
members  of  the  family  of  said  consumptive  or  consumptives  are  not  able  to  maintain 
themselves,  provided,  however,  that  the  dependent  members  of  the  family  of  such  con- 
sumptive or  consumptives  move  into  sections  of  the  City  where  the  density  of  popula- 
tion is  not  greater  than  three  hundred  to  the  acre  in  the  ward,  and  provided,  also,  that 
the  dependent  members  of  the  family  of  such  consumptive  or  consumptives  are  living 
under  such  surroundings  as  are  approved  by  the  said  board  of  trustees  or  their  repre- 
sentatives. The  said  board  of  trustees  shall  also  have  power  to  dispense  outdoor  relief 
to  indigent  widows  with  children  if  such  widows  are  physically,  mentally  and  morally 
competent  to  care  for  their  children,  provided,  however,  that  they  care  for  their  chil- 
dren themselves  and  that  they  live  in  a  ward  in  which  the  density  of  population  is  less 
than  three  hundred  to  the  acre  and  under  such  surroundings  as  are  approved  by  the  said 
board  of  trustees  or  their  representatives. 

6.  The  board  of  estimate  and  apportionment  and  the  board  of  aldermen  shall 
in  each  year  appropriate  such  sum  as  in  their  judgment  may  be  necessary  for  public 
outdoor  relief.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  public  outdoor  reliei 
to  send  to  the  board  of  estimate  and  apportionment,  or  on  or  before  the  first  day 
of  September  in  each  year,  an  estimate  in  writing  of  the  sum  needed  for  the  ensuin.t; 
3'ear  in  the  same  manner  and  general  form  as  the  heads  of  departments  and  other 
boards  of  The  City  of  New  York  are  required  to  furnish. 

Sec.  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Greater  New  York  Charter  in  relation  to  the  bureaus  of  the 
department  of  finance. 

The  people  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  There  shall  be  in  the  department  of  finance  of  The  City  of  New 
York  in  addition  to  the  six  bureaus  now^  provided  for  by  section  151  of  this  act,  a 
seventh  bureau,  to  be  known  as  the  bureau  for  the  supervision  of  charitable  institu- 
tions, exempt  from  taxation  under  paragraph  7,  of  section  4,  of  the  General  Tax  Law 
of  the  State. 

The  chief  officer  of  the  bureau  shall  be  called  the  Examiner  of  Charitable  Institu- 
tions Exempt  from  Taxation,  and  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Comptroller.  He  shall 
investigate  the  work  done  by  these  institutions,  methods  of  accounting,  and  report  to 
the  Comptroller  from  time  to  time  as  to  whether  the  institutions  are  doing  work  which 
entitles  them  to  exemption  from  taxation,  and  shall  make  recommendations  to  the 
institutions  regarding  the  conduct  of  their  work.     The  Comptroller  shall  be  authorized 


3S 

to  appoint  for  the  work  of  this  department  as  many  expert  accountants,  examiners  of 
accounts  and  other  employees  as  he  shall  deem  necessary. 
Sec.  2.    This  act  shall  take  effect  January  1,  1912. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Greater  New  York  Charter  by  increasing  the  powers  of  the 
Board  of  Health. 

The  people  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Title  one  of  chapter  nineteen  of  the  Greater  New  York  Charter,  as  re- 
enacted  by  chapter  four  hundred  and  sixty-six  of  the  laws  of  nineteen  hundred  and 
one,  is  hereby  amended  by  adding  a  new  section,  to  be  known  as  section  eleven  hun- 
dred and  eighty-live  to  read  as  follows: 

Section  ll<S5a — Inspection  of  Occupancy  Bureau.  The  Board  of  Health  of  The 
City  of  New  \'ork  shall  organize  a  bureau,  to  be  known  as  the  Bureau  of  Inspection  of 
Occupancy.  This  bureau  shall  be  charged  with  the  duty  of  ascertaining  the  cubical 
contents  of  all  apartments  in  two  family  houses  in  The  City  of  New  York  and  shall 
post  in  a  conspicuous  place  in  such  apartments  a  notice  stating  the  number  of  occu- 
pants permitted  by  law  to  occupy  such  apartments.  Said  bureau  shall  also  have 
charge  of  inspecting  such  apartments  to  ascertain  that  there  is  not  a  larger  number 
of  persons  occupying  them  than  is  permitted  by  law.  and  of  enforcing  its  provisions. 

Sec.  2.    This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Greater  New  York  Charter  relative  to  the  powers  of  the 
Board  of  Aldermen. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  four  hundred  and  seven  of  the  Greater  New  York  Charter,  as 
re-enacted  by  chapter  four  hundred  and  sixty-six  of  the  laws  of  nineteen  hundred  and 
one,  is  hereby  amended  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  407.  The  board  of  aldermen  is  authorized  by  ordinance  to  regulate  and 
restrict  the  height  of  buildings  to  be  hereafter  erected  in  the  city.  When  any  ordi- 
nance on  that  subject  is  introduced,  the  board  of  aldermen  shall  provide  for  public 
hearings  in  reference  thereto,  before  it  or  before  appropriate  committees;  and  no  ordi- 
nance restricting  the  height  of  buildings  shall  be  passed  unless  it  is  approved  before- 
hand by  the  board  of  estimate  and  apportionment  by  a  resolution  or  vote  of  a  majority 
of  the  members  of  such  board  entered  on  its  minutes  or  record,  and  unless  it  shall  be 
passed  by  a  majority  of  all  the  members  elected  to  the  board  of  aldermen,  the  vote 
being  taken  by  ayes  and  noes.  The  said  board  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  board  of 
estimate  and  apportionment  as  herein  before  provided  shall  have  power  to  divide  the 
city  into  zones  or  districts  and  to  fix  the  height  of  buildings  the  number  of  stories  and 
the  preccntage  of  the  lot  area  that  may  be  occupied  in  such  zones  or  districts.  The 
heights  of  buildings,  the  number  of  stories  and  the  percentage  of  lot  area  which  may 
he  occupied  may  be  different  in  the  different  zones  or  districts  which  may  be  estab- 
lished. Such  zones  or  districts  and  the  height  of  buildings,  nuniber  of  stories  and 
percentage  of  lot  area  which  may  be  occupied  in  such  zones  or  districts  when  fixed 
by  said  board  shall  remain  unchanged  for  a  period  of  twenty  years,  but  in  no  zone 
or  district  shall  the  height  of  buildings,  the  number  of  stories  or  the  percentage  of 
the  lot  area  that  may  be  occupied  be  greater  than  is  prescribed  by  law  at  the  time 
the  said  hoard  shall  divide  the  city  into  such  zones  or  districts. 

The  building  code  shall  be  in  force  in  the  City  of  New  York  on  the  first  day  of 
January,  1902,.  and  all  then  existing  provisions  of  law  fixing  the  penalties  for  viola- 
tion of  said  code,  and  all  then  existing  laws  affecting  or  relating  to  the  construction, 
alteration  or  removal  of  buildings  or  other  structures  within  the  Citv  of  New  York 
are  hereby  declared  to  be  binding  and  in  force  in  the  City  of  New  York,  and  shall  con- 
tinue to  be  so  binding  and  in  force  except  as  the  same  may  from  time  to  time  be  re- 
vised, altered,  amended  or  repealed  as  herein  provided.  No  right  or  rernedy  of  any 
character  shall  be  lost  or  impaired  or  affected  by  reason  of  this  chapter.  This  chapter 
shall  not  affect  or  impair  any  act  done  or  right  accruing,  accrued  or  acquired  or  pen- 
alty, forfeiture  or  punishment  incurred  prior  to  the  time  when  this  act  takes  effect  or 
by  virtue  of  any  law  repealed  or  modified  by  this  chapter,  but  the  same  may  be  as- 
serted, enforced,  prosecuted,  or  inllicted  as  fully  and  to  the  same  extent  as  if  this  act 
had  not  been  passed,  or  said  law  had  not  been  repealed  or  modified.  The  board  of 
aldermen  shall  have  power  from  time  to  time  to  amend  said  building  code  and  said 
laws  to  provide  therein  for  all  matters  concerning,  affecting  or  relating  to  the  con- 
struction, alteration  or  removal  of  buildings  or  structures  erected  or  to  be  erected  in  the 
City  of  New  York,  and  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  or  amending  said  code,  to  appoint 
and  employ  a  commission  of  experts.    The  said  building  code,  which  is  in  force  May 


39 

tirst.  1904,  sliall  constitute  a  chapter  of  the  code  of  ordinances  of  The  City  of   New 
York. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Greater  New  York  Charter  in  relation  to  organization,  ad- 
ministration, authorities,  duties  and  powers  of  the  Department  of  Health. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  eleven  hundred  and  sixty-seven  of  the  Greater  New  York 
Charter,  as  re-enacted  by  Chapter  four  hundred  and  sixty-six  of  the  laws  of  1901,  is 
hereby  amended  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  1167.  The  head  of  the  department  of  health  shall  be  called  the  board  of 
health.  Said  board  shall  consist  of  one  commissioner  to  be  called  the  commissioner 
of  health,  the  police  commissioner,  [audi  the  health  officer  of  the  port  [  .  ],  and  the 
Coinnnssioucr  of  the  Tenement  House  Department  who  shall  have  a  vote  in  all  mat- 
ters pertaining  to  the  Toienient  House  Department.  The  commissioner  of  health  shall 
be  appointed  by  the  mayor,  shall  hold  office  as  provided  in  chapter  four  of  this  act, 
and  shall  be  the  president  of  the  board  of  health.  The  commissioner  of  health  shall 
be  the  executive  officer  of  the  health  department.  [The  terms  of  office  of  the  three 
officers  called  commissioners  of  health,  except  the  president  of  the  board  of  health, 
appointed  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  Greater  New  York  Charter,  shall  cease 
and  determine  on  the  first  day  of  January,  nineteen  hundred  and  two,  and  the  said 
president  shall  thereupon  become  commissioner  of  health.] 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Greater  New  York  Charter  by  providing  for  the  prevention 
of  room  overcrowding  in  two-family  houses. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Title  six  of  chapter  nineteen  of  the  Greater  New  York  Charter,  as  re- 
enacted  by  chapter  four  hundred  and  sixty-six  of  the  laws  of  nineteen  hundred  and 
one,  is  hereby  amended  by  adding  a  new  section  to  be  known  as  section  twelve  hundred 
and  ninety-nine-b  and  to  read  as  follows: 

Section  1299b.  Overcrowding — No  apartment  in  any  two-family  house  shall  be 
so  overcrowded  that  there  shall  be  afforded  less  than  six  hundred  cubic  feet  of  air  to 
each  adult  and  three  hundred  cubic  feet  of  air  to  each  child  under  twelve  years  of  age 
occupying  such  apartment,  but  no  portion  of  any  closet,  bathroom  or  toilet  shall  be 
included  in  computing  the  cubic  air  space  of  any  apartment. 

2.  Any  persons  violating  or  aiding  or  abetting  in  violating  this  provision  shall  be 
guilty  of  a  misdemeanor  and  shall,  upon  conviction  in  a  magistrate's  court,  be  punished 
by  a  fine  not  exceeding  twenty-five  dollars. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  in  relation  to  scuttles,  bulkheads, 
ladders    and    stairs. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  32  of  chapter  99  of  the  laws  of  1909,  entitled  "An  .Act  in  re- 
lation to  tenement  houses,  constituting  chapter  sixty-one  of  the  Consolidated  Laws," 
is  hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  32.  Scuttles,  bulkheads,  ladders  and  stairs. — Every  tenement  house  shall 
have  in  the  roof  a  bulkhead  or  a  scuttle  which,  in  tenement  houses  erected  prior  to 
April  tenth,  nineteen  hundred  and  one,  shall  be  not  less  than  twenty-one  inches  by 
twenty-eight  inches,  and  in  tenement  houses  erected  after  that  date,  not  less  in  size  than 
two  feet  by  thirty  inches.  All  scuttles  shall  be  covered  on  the  outside  with  metal  and 
shall  be  provided  with  stairs  or  stationary  ladders  leading  thereto  and  easily  accessible 
to  all  tenants  of  the  building  and  kept  free  from  incumbrance,  and  all  scuttles  and 
ladders  shall  be  kept  so  as  to  be  ready  for  use  at  all  times.  No  scuttle  shall  be  located 
in  a  room,  but  all  scuttles  shall  be  located  in  the  ceiling  of  the  public  hall  on  the  top 
floor,  and  access  through  the  scuttle  to  the  roof  shall  be  direct  and  uninterrupted.  If 
located  in  a  closet,  said  closet  shall  open  from  the  public  hall  and  shall  not  be  used  as 
a  water-closet  compartment  or  bathroom,  and  the  door  to  such  closet  shall  be  perma- 
nently removed,  or  shall  be  fastened  only  by  movable  bolts  or  hooks  without  key- 
locks. When  deemed  necessary  by  the  department  charged  with  the  enforcement  of 
this  chapter,  scuttles  shall  be  hinged  so  as  to  readily  open.  Every  bulkhead  in  a  tene- 
ment house  shall  have  stairs  with  a  guide  or  hand-rail  leading  to  the  roof,  and  such 
stairs  shall  be  kept  free  from  incumbrance  at  all  times.  No  scuttle  and  no  bulkhead 
door  shall  at  any  time  be  locked  with  a  key,  but  either  may  be  fastened  on  the  inside 


40 

by  movable  bolts  or  hooks.  All  key-locks  on  scuttles  and  on  bulkhead  doors  shall  be 
removed.  No  stairs  leading  to  the  roof  in  any  tenement  house  shall  be  removed  and 
replaced  with  a  ladder.  Every  bulkhead  hereafter  constructed  in  a  now-existing  tene- 
ment house  shall  be  constructed  as  provided  in  section  seventeen  of  this  chapter,  ex- 
cept that  where  the  stairs  and  stair  halls  in  such  tenement  house  are  not  now  of  fire- 
proof material  such  bulkhead  may  be  of  wood  covered  with  metal.  Any  tenement 
house  hereafter  increased  in  height  by  placing  thereon  an  additional  story  or  stories 
or  a  part  of  a  story,  shall  be  provided  with  a  bulkhead  in  the  roof  [  .  ],  but  in  three- 
family  thrcc-siory  houses  a  scuttle  must  be  provided  tiveuty-four  by  thirty-six  inches 
with  scuttle  cover  provided  ivith  a  counter-balance  zveight. 
Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  in  relation  to  overcrowding. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  HI  of  chapter  99  of  the  Laws  of  1909  entitled  "An  Act  in  rela- 
tion to  tenement  houses,  constituting  chapter  sixty-one  of  the  Consolidated  Laws,"  is 
hereby  amended  to  read  as  follows  : 

Section  IIL  Overcrowding.  No  [room]  apartment  in  any  tenement  house  shall  be 
so  overcrowded  that  there  shall  be  afforded  less  than  [four]  six  hundred  cubic  feet  of 
air  to  each  adult;  and  [two]  three  hundred  cubic  feet  of  air  to  each  child  under  twelve 
years  of  age  occupying  such  [room.]  apartment,  but  no  portion  of  any  closet,  bath- 
room or  toilet  shall  be  included  in  computing  the  cubic  air  space  of  any  apartinent.\ 
The  lessee  of  any  apartment  violating  or  aiding  or  abetting  in  violating  this  provision 
shall  be  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor  and  shall  upon  conviction  in  a  magistrate's  court  be 
punished  by  a  fine  not  exceeding  twenty-five  dollars.  The  department  charged  with 
the  enforcement  of  this  law  shall  cause  the  cubical  contents  of  all  apartments  in  tene- 
ment houses,  exclusive  of  any  portion  of  any  closet,  bathroom  or  toilet  to  be  ascer- 
tained, and  shall  post  in  ei'ery  such  apartment  a  placard  printed  in  such  language  or  lan- 
guages as  said  department  shall  deem  necessary,  stating  the  number  of  adults  or  minors 
or  adults  and  minors  that  may  legally  occupy  such  apartment. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  eft'ect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  in  relation  to  Public  Halls. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do  enact 
as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  66  of  chapter  99  of  the  Laws  of  1909  entitled  "An  Act  in  rela- 
tion to  tenement  houses,  constituting  chapter  sixty-one  of  the  Consolidated  Laws,"  is 
hereby  amended  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  66.  Public  Halls — In  every  tenement  house  hereafter  erected,  which  is 
occupied  or  arranged  to  be  occupied  bv  more  than  two  families  on  one  floor  or  which 
exceeds  four  stories  and  cellar  in  height,  every  public  hall  shall  have  at  least  one  win- 
dow opening  directly  upon  the  street  or  upon  a  yard  or  court.  Either  such  window 
shall  be  at  the  end  of  said  hall,  with  the  plans  of  the  window  at  right  angle  to  the  axis 
of  said  hall  or  there  shall  be  at  least  one  window  opening  directly  upon  the  street  or 
upon  a  yard  or  court  in  every  twenty  feet  in  length  or  fraction  thereof  of  said  hall ; 
but  this  provision  for  one  window  in  every  twenty  feet  of  hallway  shall  not  applj'  to 
that  portion  of  the  entrance  hall  between  the  entrance  and  the  first  flight  of  stairs, 
provided  that  the  entrance  door  contains  not  less  than  five  square  feet  of  glazed  sur- 
face. In  every  public  hall  in  such  tenement  house  recesses  or  returns  the  length  of 
which  does  not  exceed  twice  their  width  will  be  permitted  without  an  additional  win- 
dow. But  wherever  the  length  of  such  recess  or  return  exceeds  twice  its  width  the 
above  provisions  in  reference  to  one  window  in  every  twenty  feet  of  hallway  shall  be 
applied.  Any  part  of  a  hall  which  is  shut  off  from  any  other  part  of  said  hall  by  a 
door  or  doors  shall  be  deemed  a  separate  hall  within  the  meaning  of  this  section.  In 
everv  tenement  house  hereafter  erected  where  the  public  hall  is  not  provided  with  a 
window  opening  directly  to  the  outer  air  as  above  provided  there  shall  be  a  stair  well 
not  less  than  twelve  inches  wide  extending  from  the  entrance  floor  to  the  roof,  and 
all  doors  leading  from  such  public  halls  shall  be  provided  with  translucent  glass  panels 
of  an  area  of  not  less  than  fiye  square  feet  for  each  door,  and  also  with  fixed  tran- 
soms of  translucent  glass  over  each  door  [.].  except  that  in  buildings  not  exceeding 
three  stories  in  height  with  not  more  than  tzvo  fatnilies  on  a  floor  the  stair-well  shall 
not  be  less  than  ten  inches  zvide  e.vtending  from  the  entrance  floor  to  the  roof. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 


41 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  in  relation  to  Size  of  Rooms. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do  enact 
as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  64  of  Chapter  ninety-nine  of  the  Laws  of  1909  entitled  "An 
act  in  relation  to  tenement  houses,  constituting  chapter  61  of  the  Consolidated  Laws" 
is  hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  64.  Rooms,  size  of — In  every  tenement  house  hereafter  erected  all  rooms, 
except  water-closet  compartments  and  bathrooms,  shall  be  of  the  following  minimum 
sizes ;  in  each  compartment  there  shall  be  at  least  one  room  containing  not  less  th^an 
[one  hundred  and  twenty]  one  hundred  and  fifty  square  feet  of  floor  area  and  each 
other  room  shall  contain  at  least  [seventy]  ninety  square  feet  of  floor  area.  Each 
room  shall  be  in  every  part  not  less  than  nine  feet  high  from  the  finished  floor  to  the 
finished  ceiling,  provided  that  an  attic  room  need  be  nine  feet  high  in  but  one-half  its 
area. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  eff'ect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  in  relation  to  Three-story  Tenements. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do  enact 
as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  16  of  Chapter  99  of  the  Laws  of  1909  entitled  "An  act  in  rela- 
tion to  tenement  houses,  constituting  chapter  sixty-one  of  the  Consolidated  Laws"  is 
hereby  amended  by  adding  thereto  a  new  sub-division  to  be  known  as  sub-division  5, 
and  to  read  as  follows : 

5.  In  three-story  tenement  houses  zvherc  the  bulkhead  to  roof  is  omitted,  fire- 
escapes,  balconies  and  connecting  ladders  shall  be  placed  on  rear  of  said  building  in 
accordance  ivith  such  regulations  as  may  be  adopted  by  said  Tenement  House  Depart- 
ment. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  eflfect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  in  relation  to  Room   Overcrowding. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do  enact 
as  follows : 

Section  1.  Chapter  ninety-nine  of  the  Laws  of  1909  entitled  "An  Act  in  relation 
to  tenement  houses,  constituting  Chapter  61  of  the  Consolidated  Laws,"  is  hereby 
amended  by  adding  thereto  a  new  section  to  be  known  as  section  one  hundred  and 
twelve,  and  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  112.  Lodgers — No  lessee  of  any  apartment  in  any  tenement  house  shall 
take  a  lodger  without  first  notifying  the  owner  or  responsible  agent  of  the  tenement 
house  in  writing  and  such  owner  or  responsible  agent  shall,  upon  receiving  any  such 
notice,  immediately  report  the  same  to  the  tenement  house  department.  Every  such 
lessee  shall  before  taking  any  lodger  secure  a  license  permitting  such  taking  of  lodger. 
from  the  tenement  house  department. 

2.  No  such  license  shall  be  granted  by  the  tenement  house  department  until  it 
shall  have  made  investigation  of  the  apartment  in  which  the  applicant  for  taking  such 
lodger  lives,  and  of  the  occupancy  thereof,  and  is  satisfied  that  all  the  requirements  of 
the  tenement  house  law  and  all  other  laws  applying  thereto  have  been  complied  with. 

3.  For  the  purposes  of  this  section  a  lodger  shall  be  construed  to  mean'  any  per- 
son who  is  harbored,  received  or  lodged  for  hire. 

4.  Any  person  violating  or  aiding  or  abetting  in  violating  either  of  these  pro- 
visions shall  be  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor  and  shall  upon  conviction  in  a  magistrate's 
court  be  punished  by  a  fine  not  exceeding  twenty-five  dollars. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  in  relation  to  Stairs  and  Halls. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  Y^'ork  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do  enact 
as  follows  : 

Section  1.  Section  18  of  Chapter  99  of  the  Laws  of  1909,  entitled  "An  act  in  rela- 
tion to  tenement  houses  constituting  chapter  sixty-one  of  the  Consolidated  Laws"  is 
herebv  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows  : 

Section  18.  Stairs  and  Public  Halls — Every  tenement  house  hereafter  erected 
shall  hav°  at  least  one  flight  of  stairs  extending  from  the  entrance  floor  to  the  roof, 
and  the  sta-'rs  and  public  halls  therein  shall  each  be  at  least  three  feet  wide  in  the 
clear  [.].  exi^pting  in  tenements  not  exceeding  three  stories  and  cellar  in  height  and 
arranged  to  be  occupied  by  not  more  than  one  family  on  each  floor  or  more  than  three 
families  in  all.  ii:  lieu  of  stairs  there  may  be  an  iron  stair  ladder  to  the  roof  Placed  at 
■an  angle  of  60  degrees  and  constructed  as  required  by  section  32  of  the  Tenement 
House  Law.  and  the  zvidth  of  the  stairs  may  be  tzvo  feet  and  nine  inches. 

Section  2.     This  net  shall  take  effect  immediatelv. 


42 

AN   ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement   House   Law  in    relation   to   Rooms,  Lighting  and 

Ventilation. 

The  People  of  the  Slate  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do  enact 
as  follows : 

Section  I.  Section  73,  Chapter  99  of  the  Laws  of  1909,  entitled  "An  act  in  relation 
to  Tenement  Houses  constituting  chapter  sixty-one  of  the  Consolidated  Laws,"  is 
hereby  amended  by  the  addition  of  a  sub-division  to  follow  sub-division  4  to  be  known 
as  sub-division  5,  and  to  read  as  follows : 

5.  //  in  the  judgment  of  the  department  charged  zvith  the  enforcement  of  this 
chapter  the  minimum  requirement  of  windozv  space  and  other  means  of  ventilation  re- 
quired by  this  section  are  not  sufficient  to  make  the  room  sanitary  and  habitable,  said 
department  shall  be  empoivcred  upon  a  certificate  being  filed  verified  by  tivo  medical 
inspectors  certifying  to  the  above  facts  to  vacate  said  apartment  or  part  thereof  in  the 
manner  prescribed  in  section  one  hundred  and  tzveniy-six  of  this  lazv. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  in  relation  to  the  Height  of  Tenements. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1  of  Chapter  99  of  the  Laws  of  1909  entitled  "An  act  in  relation  to  tene- 
ment houses  constituting  chapter  sixty-one  of  the  Consolidated  Laws"  is  hereby 
amended  by  the  addition  thereto  of  a  new  section  to  be  known  as  Section  51a,  as 
follows  : 

Section  51a — A^o  tenement  house  hereafter  erected  in  The  City  of  Nezv  York 
except  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan,  south  of  the  south  side  of  \8lst  street  shall  ex- 
ceed four  storids  in  height,  except  that  for  every  fifteen  percentnm  of  the  lot  area  left 
unoccupied  less  than  the  maximum  percentage  of  occupancy  legally  permissible  at  the 
time  this  act  takes  effect,  an  additional  story  shall  be  permitted,  and  a  tenement  house 
may  be  five  stories  high  zvithout  being  of  fireproof  construction  if  it  occupy  fifteen 
percentnm  less  of  the  lot  area  than  is  legally  permissible  at  the  time  this  act  takes 
effect. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  in  relation  to  Light  and  Vent  Shafts  in 

Existing  Buildings. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  75  of  Chapter  99  of  the  Laws  of  1909  entitled  "An  act  in  re- 
lation to  tenement  houses  constituting  chapter  sixty-one  of  the  Consolidated  Laws"  is 
hereby  amended  to  read  as  follows  : 

Section  75.  Light  and  Vent  Shafts  in  existing  buildings — Any  shaft  used  or  in- 
tended to  be  used  to  light  or  ventilate  rooms  used  or  intended  to  be  used  for  living 
purposes,  and  which  may  be  hereafter  placed  in  a  tenement  house,  erected  prior  to  April 
tenth,  nineteen  hundred  and  one,  shall  not  be  less  in  area  than  twenty-five  square  feet 
nor  less  than  four  feet  in  width  in  any  part,  and  such  shaft  shall  under  no  circum- 
stances be  roofed  or  covered  over  at  the  top  with  a  roof  or  skylight;  every  such  shaft 
shall  be  provided  at  the  bottom  with  a  horizontal  intake  or  duct,  of  a  size  not  less 
than  four  square  feet,  and  communicating  directly  with  the  street  or  yard,  and  such 
duct  shall  be  so  arranged  as  to  be  easily  cleaned  out. 

Nothing  in  this  section  shall  be  construed  to  prohibit  zvindozvs  b^ing  placed  in 
said  vent  shaft  zvhere  same  are  used  to  afford  additional  light  to  halls,  provided  that 
such  zvindozvs  are  stationary  and  frames  shall  be  fireproof  and  glazed  zviti:  zt'ire  glass. 

Section  2.    This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  in  relation  to  Fireproof  Tinements. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  15  of  Chapter  99  of  the  Laws  of  1909  entitled  "An  Act  in  re- 
lation to  tenement  houses  constituting  chapter  sixty-one  of  the  Consolidated  Laws,"  is 
hereby  amended  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  15.  Fireproof  Tenements,  where  required. — Every  tenement  house  here- 
after erected  exceeding  [six]  four  stories  or  parts  of  stories  or  fifty  feet  in  height 
above  the  curb  level,  shall  be  a  fireproof  tenement  house,  nor  shall  anv  tenement  house 
be  altered  so  as  to  exceed  such  height  without  being  made  a  fireproof  tenement  house, 
A  cellar  the  ceiling  of  which  does  not  extend  more  than  two  feet  above  the  curb  level 
is  not  a  story  within  the  meaning  of  this  section.  Where,  howevjr,  a  tenement  house 
hereafter  erected  is  located  on  a  street  of  which  the  grade  is  morfj  than  four  feet  in  one 


43 

hundred  feet,  a  cellar  or  basement,  the  ceiling  of  which  does  not  extend  more  than  six 
inches  above  the  highest  point  of  the  curb  level,  is  not  to  be  deemed  a  story  within 
th'  meaning  of  this  section,  provided,  however,  that  no  part  of  such  cellar  or  base- 
ment is  occupied  or  arranged  to  be  occupied  for  living  purposes  except  by  the  janitor 
of  such  building  and  his  familly,  and  provided  also  that  such  cellar  or  basement  is  the 
lowest  story  of  such  building. 

Section  2.    This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  relating  to  Inner  Courts. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  58  of  Chapter  99  of  the  Laws  of  1909,  entitled  "An  act  in 
relation  to  tenement  houses,  constituting  chapter  61  of  the  Consolidated  Laws,"  is 
hereby  amended  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  58.  Inner  Courts  1.  Where  one  side  of  an  inner  court  is  situated  on  the 
lot  line,  the  width  of  the  said  court  measured  from  the  lot  line  to  the  opposite  wall 
of  the  building,  for  tenement  houses  sixty  feet  in  height  shall  not  be  less  than  twelve 
feet  in  any  part,  and  its  other  horizontal  dimension  shall  not  be  less  than  twenty-four 
feet  in  any  part;  and  for  every  twelve  feet  of  increase  or  fraction  thereof  in  the 
height  of  the  said  building,  each  width  shall  be  increased  six  inches  throughout  the 
entire  height  of  said  court,  and  the  other  horizontal  dimension  shall  be  increased  one 
foot  throughout  the  entire  height  of  said  court ;  and*  for  every  twelve  feet  of  decrease 
in  the  height  of  the  said  building  below  sixty  feet,  such  width  may  be  decreased  six 
inches,  and  the  other  horizontal  dimension  may  be  decreased  one  foot.  Except  that  in 
tenement  houses  hereafter  erected  not  exceeding  four  stories  and  cellar  in  height  and 
which  also  are  not  occupied  or  arranged  to  be  occupied  by  more  than  [eight]  nine 
families  in  all,  or  by  more  than  two  families  on  any  floor,  and  in  which  also  each 
apartment  extends  through  from  the  street  to  the  yard,  and  which  also  do  not  occupy 
more  than  seventy-two  per  centum  of  the  lot,  in  the  case  of  an  interior  lot,  the  width 
of  an  inner  court  situated  on  the  lot  line  to  the  opposite  wall  of  the  building  shall 
not  be  less  than  eight  feet  in  any  part,  and  its  other  horizonal  dimension  shall  not  be 
less  than  fourteen  feet  in  any  part.  Except  also  that  in  such  tenement  houses  which 
do  not  exceed  three  stories  and  cellar  in  height,  and  which  also  are  not  occupied  by 
more  than  six  families  in  all,  or  by  more  than  two  families  on  any  floor,  a  portion  of 
such  inner  court  may  be  occupied  by  a  bathroom  extension,  provided  that  such  ex- 
tension has  no  window  facing  an  opposite  building,  and  that  it  does  not  occupy  a  por- 
tion of  such  court  greater  than  four  and  one-half  feet  in  width,  or  seven  feet  in 
length,  and  that  between  such  extension  and  the  lot  line  the  court  is  never  less  than 
three  and  one-half  feet  in  width.  In  such  last-named  tenement  houses  which  do  not 
occupy  more  than  sixty-five  per  centum  of  the  lot,  in  the  case  of  an  interior  lot,  where 
an  inner  court  for  its  entire  length  immediately  adjoins  an  existing  inner  court  of 
equal  or  greater  size  in  an  adjoining  building  or  adjoins  such  a  court  in  an  adjoining 
building  actually  in  course  of  construction  at  the  same  time,  the  width  of  such  inner 
court  measured  from  the  lot  line  to  the  opposite  wall  of  the  building  shall  be  not  less 
than  four  feet  in  any  part,  and  not  less  than  eight  feet  from  wall  to  wall,  and  its 
other  horizontal  dimension  shall  be  not  less  than  twelve  and  one-half  feet. 

2.  Where  an  inner  court  is  not  situated  u^^on  the  lot  line,  but  is  inclosed  on  all 
four  sides,  the  least  horizontal  dimension  of  the  said  court  for  tenement  houses  sixty 
feet  in  height  shall  not  be  less  than  twenty-four  feet  and  for  every  twelve  feet  of  in- 
crease or  fraction  thereof  in  the  height  of  the  said  building,  the  said  court  shall  be  in- 
creased one  foot  in  each  horizontal  dimension,  throughout  the  entire  height  of  said 
court;  and  for  every  twelve  feet  of  decrease  in  the  heights  of  the  said  building  below 
sixty  feet,  the  horizontal  dimensions  of  the  said  court  may  be  decreased  on  foot  in 
each  direction.  Except  that  in  tenement  houses  hereafter  erected  not  exceeding  four 
stories  and  cellar  in  height  and  which  are  not  occupied  or  arranged  to  be  occu- 
pied by  more  than  [eight]  ni)ie  families  in  all,  or  by  more  than  two  families  on  any 
floor,  and  in  which  also  each  apartment  extends  through  from  the  street  to  the  yard, 
and  which  also  do  not  occupy  more  than  seventy-two  per  centum  of  the  lot  in  the 
case  of  an  interior  lot,  the  least  horizontal  dimension  of  an  inner  court  not  situated 
on  the  lot  line,  but  inclosed  on  all  four  sides,  shall  not  be  less  than  fourteen  feet.  Ex- 
cept also  that  in  such  tenement  houses  which  do  not  exceed  three  stories  and  cellar  in 
height  and  which  also  are  not  occupied,  or  arranged  to  be  occupied,  by  more  than  six 
families  in  all,  or  b\^  more  than  two  families  on  any  floor,  and  which  do  not  occup}' 
more  than  sixty-five  per  centum  of  the  lot,  in  the  case  of  an  interior  lot,  the  width  of 
such  inner  court  shall  not  be  less  than  eight  feet  in  any  part,  and  its  other  horizontal 
dimension  shall  not  be  less  than  twelve  and  one-half  feet.  In  inner  courts  which  are 
not   less   than    ten    feet    wide    in    any    part,    ofifsets    and    recesses    will    be    permitted. 


44 

but  where  the  depth  of  such  offset  or  recess  is  less  than  the  minimum  width  pre- 
scribed, then  the  width  of  said  offset  or  recess  may  be  equal  to  but  not  less  than  its 
depth,  provided  that  such  width  is  never  less  than  four  feet  in  the  clear.  And  no 
window  except  windows  of  watercloset  compartments,  bathrooms  or  halls  shall  open 
upon  any  offset  or  recess  less  than  six  feet  in  width. 

3.  Every  inner  court  shall  be  provided  with  one  or  more  horizontal  intakes  at  the 
bottom.  Such  intakes  shall  always  communicate  directly  with  the  street  or  yard,  and 
shall  consist  of  a  passageway  not  less  than  three  feet  wide  and  seven  feet  high,  which 
shall  be  left  open,  or  if  not  open  there  shall  always  be  provided  in  said  passageway 
open  grilles  or  transoms  of  a  size  not  less  than  five  square  feet  each,  and  such  open 
grilles  or  transoms  shall  never  be  covered  over  by  glass  or  in  any  other  way.  There 
shall  be  at  least  two  such  grilles  or  transoms  in  each  such  passageway,  one  at  the 
inner  court  and  the  other  at  the  street  or  yard,  as  the  case  may  be. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  eft'ect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  in  relation  to  Fireproof  Tenements. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  15  of  Chapter  99  of  the  Laws  of  1909  entitled  "An  act  in 
relation  to  tenement  houses  constituting  chapter  sixty-two  of  the  Consolidated  Laws," 
is  hereby  amended  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  15.  Fireproof  Tenements,  when  required — Every  tenement  house  here- 
after erected  exceeding  [six]  fohr  stories  or  parts  of  stories  or  fifty  feet  in  height 
above  the  curb  level,  shall  be  a  fireproof  tenement  house,  nor  shall  any  tenement  house 
be  altered  so  as  to  exceed  such  height  without  being  made  a  fireproof  tenement 
house.  A  cellar  the  ceiling  of  which  does  not  extend  more  than  two  feet  above  the 
curb  level  is  not  a  story  within  the  meaning  of  this  section.  Where,  however,  a  tene- 
ment house  hereafter  erected  is  located  on  a  street  of  which  the  grade  is  more  than 
four  feet  to  one  hundred  feet,  a  cellar  or  basement,  the  ceiling  of  which  does  not  ex- 
tend more  than  six  inches  above  the  highest  point  of  the  curb  level,  is  not  to  be 
deemed  a  story  within  the  meaning  of  this  section,  provided,  however,  that  no  part  of 
such  cellar  or  basement  is  occupied  or  arranged  to  be  occupied  for  living  purposes 
except  by  the  janitor  of  such  building  and  his  family,  and  provided  also  that  such 
cellar  or  basement  is  the  lowest  story  of  such  building. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Greater  New^  York  Charter  in  relation  to  Inspection  of  Tene- 
ment Houses. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do 
■enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  thirteen  hundred  and  forty-one  of  the  Greater  New  York 
Charter,  as  re-enacted  by  chapter  four  hundred  and  sixty-six  of  the  Law  of  1901, 
as  amended  by  chapter  439  of  the  Laws  of  1903,  is  hereby  amended  to  read  as  fol- 
lows : 

Section  1341a.  Infected  and  Uninhabitable  Houses  to  be  Vacated  by  Depart- 
ment— [Whenever  it  shall  be  certified  by  an  inspector  or  officer  of  the  department 
that  a  tenement  house,  or  any  part  thereof,  is  infected  with  contagious  disease,  or 
that  it  is  unfit  for  human  habitation  or  dangerous  to  life  or  health  by  reason  of  want 
of  repair,  or  of  defects  in  the  drainage,  plumbing,  ventilation,  or  the  construction  of 
the  same  or  by  reason  of  the  existence  on  the  premises  of  a  nuisance  likely  to  cause 
sickness  among  the  occupants  of  said  house,  the  department  may  issue  an  order 
requiring  all  persons  therein  to  vacate  such  house,  or  part  thereof,  within  not  less 
than  twenty-four  hours,  nor  more  than  ten  days  for  the  reasons  to  be  mentioned  in 
said  order.]  The  tenement  house  department  of  The  City  of  New  York  shall  at  such 
times  and  in  such  manner  as  may  to  it  seem  best  cause  an  inspection  and  examination 
to  he  made  of  all  tenement  houses,  in  The  City  of  New  York,  and  zvhererer  it  shall 
be  found  that  any  such  tenement  house  or  part  thereof  is  infected  zvith  contagious 
disease  or  that  it  is  unfit  for  human  habitation  or  occupancy  or  dangerous  to  life  or 
health  by  reason  of  want  of  repair  or  of  defects  in  the  drainage,  plumbing,  lighting, 
ventilation,  or  the  construction  of  the  same,  or  by  reason  of  the  existence  on  the  prem- 
ises of  a  nuisance  likely  to  cause  sickness  among  the  occupants  of  said  house  thA 
department  shall  issue  an  order  requiring  all  persons  iherei)i  to  vacate  such  house* 
or  part  thereof,  within  not  less  than  twenty-four  hours  nor  more  than  ten  days  for 
the  reasons  to  be  mentioned  in  said  order.  This  order  may  be  served  in  the  manner 
prescribed  in  the  tenement  house  act. 

In  case  such  order  is  not  complied  with  within  the  time  specified  the  department 
iTiay   cause   said   tenement   house,    or    part   thereof,    to    be    vacated.     The    department 


45 

whenever  it  is  satisfied  that  the  danger  from  said  house,  or  part  thereof,  has  ceased 
to  exist,  or  that  it  is  fit  for  human  habitation  may  revoke  said  order,  or  may  extend 
the  time  within  which  to  comply  with  the  same. 

2.  A  staff  of  medical  inspectors  zvho  are  qualified  physicians  shall  be  assigned 
by  the  department  of  health  to  the  tenement  house  department,  ivhich  staff  shall 
examine  and  report  upon  all  cases  of  vacation  of  such  insanitary  tenements  or  part 
thereof  in  zvhich  there  may  be  any  contagious  disease  or  which  is  unfit  for  human 
habitation,  except  in  iliose  vacating  cases  provided  for  by  law. 

3.  All  acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  with  this  act  are  hereby  repealed. 
Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  provide  for  the  creation  of  an  Industrial  Commission  in  Cities  of  Over 
One  Million  Inhabitants. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  Xew  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  The  Mayor  of  any  city  with  a  population  of  over  one  million  inhabi- 
tants, shall  appoint  a  commission  to  be  known  as  the  industrial  commission  of  said 
city.  The  said  commission  shall  consist  of  three  residents  of  the  City.  Two  of 
the  commissioners  shall  serve  for  a  term  of  four  years,  and  the  third  com- 
missioner, who  shall  be  the  chairman  of  the  commission,  shall  serve  for  the  term 
of  five  years. 

Section  2.  For  the  purpose  of  making  the  appointments  aforesaid,  the  said  mayor 
shall  call  upon  the  presidents  or  other  executive  heads  of  the  following  interests,  rep- 
resenting the  employers  and  the  employees  :  The  central  bodies  of  the  labor  organiza- 
tions of  the  city;  and  associations  representing  the  employers  of  the  city,  each  of 
whom  shall  present  a  list  of  not  less  than  five  names  for  the  consideration  of  the 
mayor.  Notice  in  writing  of  the  dates  on  which  the  appointments  to  said  commission 
are  proposed  to  be  made  shall  be  given  by  the  mayor  to  each  of  the  presidents  or 
other  executive  heads  of  said  organizations  at  least  ten  days  prior  thereto,  and  such 
list  of  names  shall  be  so  presented  within  three  days  after  the  receipt  of  such  notice. 
Appointment  of  two  members  of  said  commission,  may,  in  the  discretion  of  the 
mayor,  be  made  from  such  list  or  lists,  and  the  third  commissioner  shall  not  belong 
to  either  an  association  of  employers  or  employees;  but,  not  more  than  two  of  said 
commissioners  shall  belong  to  the  political  party  which  at  the  preceding  general 
election  cast  the  greatest  number  of  votes  for  governor  of  the  state,  nor  to  the 
political  party  which  shall  have  cast  the  next  greatest  number  of  votes  for  governor 
of  the  state. 

Section  3.  The  duties  of  said  commission  shall  be  (a)  to  uivestigate  labor  condi- 
tions in  the  city,  and  wages  paid  to  both  skilled  and  unskilled  laborers  of  every  class, 
whether  represented  by  an  association  or  organization  of  labor  or  not ;  and  the  said 
commission  shall  have  full  power  to  make  such  examinations  and  investigations. 
Upon  the  written  petition  of  any  organization  of  labor,  or  association  of  employers, 
or  oi  a  class  representing  trades  not  connected  or  associated  with  any  labor  organiza- 
tion, it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  said  commission  to  investigate  all  matters  set  forth 
in  the  said  petition,  either  by  conferences  with  all  the  parties  directly  concerned  or  by 
giving  full  publicity  to  the  facts  ascertained,  or  both,  in  the  discretion  of  the  com- 
mission; (b)  to  investigate  all  differences  and  disputes  that  may  arise  when  strikes 
and  lockouts  are  threatened  or  after  they  occur,  and  to  use  all  proper  efiforts  to  pre- 
vent or  to  terminate  such  strikes  or  lockouts,  and  it  shall  give  the  widest  publicity  to 
the  result  of  its  conferences  and  examinations,  upon  the  request  of  either  party  to 
the  dispute  or  of  any  other  party  who  shall  be  directly  interested  or  affected  by  the 
proceeding. 

Section  4.  The  said  commission  shall  have  power  to  administer  oaths,  and  to 
issue  subpoenas  for  the  production  of  books  and  papers,  and  for  the  attendance  of 
witnesses  to  the  same  extent  as  the  courts  of  record  or  the  judges  thereof  in  this 
state  possess.  The_  commission  may  make  and  enforce  rules  for  its  government  and 
the  transaction  of  its  business,  and  shall  hear  and  examine  such  witnesses  as  may  be 
brought  before  them,  and  take  such  other  proof  as  may  be  offered  or  found  necessary. 
After  the  matter  has  been  fully  heard,  the  said  commission,  or  a  majority  thereof, 
shall  within  ten  days,  and  as  speedily  as  possible,  if  the  situation  is  critical  or  urgent, 
render  a  decision  in  w-riting  signed  by  it,  giving  such  details  that  will  clearly  show 
the  nature  of  the  decision  and  the  points  disposed  of.  Examinations  or  investigations 
ordered  by  the  commission  may  be  held  and  taken  before  any  one  of  its  members,  if 
so  directed,  but  the  proceedings  or  decision  of  any  one  member  of  the  commission 
shall  not  be  deemed  conclusive  until  approved  by  the  commission  or  a  majority 
thereof.  Each  commissioner  shall  have  power  to  administer  oaths,  and  all  subpoenas 
shall  be  signed  by  the  secretary  of  the  commission,  and  may  be  served  by  any  person 


46 

of  full  age,  authorized  by  the  commission  to  serve  the  same.  Said  commission  shall 
make  an  annual  report  to  the  mayor,  which  shall  include  such  facts  and  statements 
that  will  disclose  the  actual  work  of  the  commission,  with  such  recommendations  that 
may  seem  to  it  conducive  to  the  harmonizing  of  the  relations  between  employers  and 
employees. 

Section  5.     Each  member  of  the  commission  shall  receive  a  salary  of   

dollars  per  year,  and  it  shall  have  the  power  to  rent  offices,  employ  a  secretary  and 
such  other  assistants  as  it  shall  deem  necessary  for  the  proper  conduct  of  its  work,  and 
the  appropriation  therefor  shall  be  made  by  those  charged  by  law  with  the  duty  of 
making  appropriations   for  the  support  of  the  city  government. 

Section  6.  Nothing  in  this  act  contained  shall  in  any  way  be  construed  to  modify, 
change  or  repeal  the  powers  and  jurisdiction  of  the  bureau  of  mediation  and  arbi- 
tration in  the  state  department  of  labor,  as  provided  for  by  article  ten  of  the  general 
labor  law. 

Section  7.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Labor  Law  in  relation  to  a  Dcputv  Commissioner  for  New  York 
City. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1 — Section  41  of  chapter  26  of  the  Laws  of  1909,  entitled  "An  Act  relating 
to  labor,  constituting  chapter  31  of  the  Consolidated  Laws,"  is  hereby  amended  to  read 
as  follows : 

Section  4L  Deputy  Commissioners — The  commissioner  of  labor  shall  forthwith 
upon  entering  upon  the  duties  of  his  office,  appoint,  and  may  at  pleasure  remove,  two 
deputy  commissioners  of  labor,  who  shall  receive  such  annual  salaries,  not  to  exceed 
three  thousand,  dollars  each,  as  may  be  appropriated  therefore.  The  powers  herein- 
after conferred  upon  the  first  and  second  deputy  commissioners  shall  not  include  the 
appointment  of  officers,  clerks  or  other  employees  in  any  of  the  bureaus  of  the  depart- 
ment of  labor.  lie  shall  also  appoint  a  deputy  coiiiiiiissioner,  who  shall  be  permanently 
stationed  in  Nezv  York  City,  and  zvho  sliall  be  paid  a  salary  not  to  exceed 

dollars,  zvhose  duty  it  shall  be  to  supervise  the  administration  of  the  gen- 
eral labor  lazv  in  Nezv  York  City,  subject  to  the  authority  and  direction  of  the  connnis- 
sioner  of  labor. 

Section  2.     This  Act  shall  take  effect  July  1,  19n. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Labor  Law  in  relation  to   the  size  of   rooms. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  L  Section  85  of  chapter  26  of  the  Laws  of  1909,  entitled  "An  Act  relating 
to  labor,  constituting  chapter  31  of  the  Consolidated  Laws,"  is  hereby  amended  to  read 
as  follows : 

Section  85.  Size  of  Rooms — No  more  employees  shall  be  required  or  permitted 
to  work  in  a  room  in  a  factory  between  the  hours  of  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  and 
six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  than  will  allow  to  each  of  such  employees  not  less  than  [two 
hundred  and  fifty]  fiz'e  hundred  cubic  feet  of  air  space;  and,  unless  by  a  written  permit 
of  the  commissioner  of  labor,  not  les?  than  [four  hundred]  six  hundred  cubic  feet  for 
each  employee,  so  employed  between  the  hours  of  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  and  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  provided  such  room  is  lighted  by  electricity  at  all  times  during 
such  hours,  while  persons  are  employed  therein. 

Section  2.    This  Act  shall  take  effect  July  1,  19n. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Greater  New  York  Charter  by  providing  for  a  dift'erence  in  the 
rate  of  taxation  on  the  value  of  land  wholly  unimproved,  and  the  rate  on  the 
difference  between  the  value  of  the  land  with  its  improvements  and  the  value  of 
the   land   wholly  unimproved. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  two  hundred  and  forty-nine  of  the  Greater  New  York  Charter, 
as  re-enacted  by  chapter  four  hundred  and  sixty-six  of  the  Laws  of  1901,  is  hereby 
amended  to  read  as  follows : 

Section  249.  The  aggregate  amount  estimated  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  and  the 
Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  in  the  annual  Budget,  shall  be  certified  by  the 
Comptroller  to  the  Board  of  Aldermen;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  said  Board  of 
.■\ldcrmen,  and  they  are  hereby  empowered  and  directed  annually  to  cause  to  be  raised, 
according  to  law,  and  collected  by  tax  upon  the  estates,  real  and  personal,  subject  to 
taxation  within  The  City  of  New  York,  the  amount  so  certified  as  aforesaid.  The  said 
Board  of  Aldermen  shall,  for  the  year  .  .  .  .,  in  fixing  the  rate  of  taxation  on  the  real 


47 

estate  of  The  City  of  Xezv  York,  so  apportion  the  rate  that  the  rate  on  personal  prop- 
erty and  0)1  the  difference  between  the  value  of  real  estate,  witli  its  iniprovements,  and 
the  value  of  real  estate  zvholly  unimproved,  assessed  as  provided  for  in  section  eight 
hundred  and  eighty-nine  of  the  Greater  Nezv  York  Charter,  as  aniended  by  section  one 
of  chapter  four  hundred  and  fifty-four  of  the  lazvs  of  nineteen  hundred  and  three,  shall 
be  ni)icty  per  cent,  of  the  rate  on  the  value  of  real  estate  zvholly  uniinproz'ed.  Every 
year  subsequent  to  ....,  the  rate  on  personal  property  and  the  difference  betzveen  the 
value  of  real  estate  witli  its  impruvenients,  and  the  value  of  real  estate  zvholly  unim- 
proved, shall  be  still  furtlier  reduced  10  per  cent,  of  the  rate  on  tlie  value  of  real  estate 
zvholly  unimproved,  until  the  rate  on  personal  property  and  on  the  difference  betzveen 
the  value  of  real  estate  zvith  its  improvements,  and  the  value  of  real  estate  zvholly  unim- 
proved, shall  be  fifty  perccntum  of  the  rate  on  the  value  of  real  estate  wholly  tDiim- 
proved ;  and  thereafter  the  Board  of  Aldermen  shall  so  apportion  the  rate  of  taxation 
that  the  rate  on  personal  property  and  on  the  diff'erence  betzveen  the  value  of  real  estate 
zvith  its  improvements  and  tJie  value  of  real  estate  wholly  unimproved,  shall  be  fifty  per- 
centum  of  the  rate  on  the  value  of  real  estate  zvholly  unimproved. 
Section  2.     This  Act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Greater  New  York  Charter  by  providing  a  separate  state- 
ment of  the  difference  in  the  value  of  land  with  its  improvements  and  the  value  of 
land  wholl}'  unimproved  in  assessments  of  real  estate. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly,  dp 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Sections  889  and  892  of  the  Greater  New  York  Charter  as  enacted  by 
chapter  466  of  the  Laws  of  1901,  are  hereb\'  amended  to  read  as   follows: 

Sec.  889.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Deputy  Tax  Commissioners,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Board  of  Taxes  and  Assessments,  to  assess  all  the  taxable  property'  in  the 
several  districts  that  may  be  assigned  to  them  for  that  purpose  by  said  Board,  and  they 
shall  furnish  to  said  Board,  under  oath,  a  detailed  statement  of  all  such  property,  show- 
ing that  said  Deputies  have  personalh-  examined  each  and  every  house,  building,  lot, 
pier  or  other  assessable  property,  giving  the  street,  lot,  ward,  town  and  map  number  of 
such  real  estate  embraced  within  the  said  districts,  together  with  the  name  of  the  owner 
or  occupant,  if  known;  also  the  sum  for  which,  in  their  judgment,  each  separately  as- 
sessed parcel  of  real  estate  under  ordinary  circumstances  would  sell  if  it  were  wholly 
unimproved ;  and  separately  stated  the  sum  for  which,  under  ordinary  circumstances, 
the  same  parcel  of  real  estate  would  sell,  with  t!;e  improvements,  if  any,  thereon ;  and 
separately  stating  the  sum,  shozving  the  diff'erence  betzveen  the  sum  for  zuhich,  in  their 
judgment,  each  separately  assessed  parcel  of  real  estate,  tinder  ordinary  circu)nstances, 
zvould  sell  if  it  were  wholly  unimproved,  and  the  sum  for  which,  under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances, the  same  parcel  of  real  estate  zvould  sell  zvith  improvements,  if  any,  there- 
on: with  such  other  information,  in  detail,  relative  to  personal  property  or  otherwise, 
as  the  said  Board  may  from  time  to  tune  require.  Such  deputies  shall  commence  to 
assess  real  and  personal  real  estate  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  September  in  each  and 
every  year. 

Sec.  892.  There  shall  be  kept  in  the  several  offices  established  by  the  Department 
of  Taxes  and  Assessments,  books  to  be  called  "The  Annual  Record  of  the  Assessed 

Valuation  of  Real  and  Personal  Estate  of  the  Borough  of    ,"  in  which 

shall  be  entered  in  detail  the  assessed  valuation  of  such  propert.v  within  the  limits  of 
the  several  Boroughs  within  The  City  of  New  York,  as  established  by  this  Act.  In 
such  books  the  assessed  value  of  real  estate  shall  be  set  down  in  [two]  three  columns; 
in  the  first  column  shall  be  given  opposite  each  separately  assessed  parcel  of  real  estate 
the  sum  for  which  such  parcel,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  would  sell  if  wholly  un- 
miproved ;  in  the  second  column  shall  be  set  down  the  sum  for  which  the  said  parcel, 
under  ordinary  circumstances,  would  sell  with  the  improvements,  if  any,  thereon;  and 
in  thg_  third  column  the  diff'erence  between  the  sum  for  zvhicli  such  parcel,  under  ordi- 
nary circu>nstances,  zvould  sell  if  zvholly  unimproved,  and  the  sum  for  which  the  said 
parcel,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  zvould  sell  zvith  the  improz'onents,  if  any,  there- 
on. The  said  books  shall  be  open  for  public  inspection,  examination  and  correction 
from  the  second  Monday  in  January  until  the  1st  day  of  April  in  each  year;  but  on  the 
said  last  mentioned  day  the  same  shall  be  closed  to  enable  the  Board  of  Taxes  and 
Assessments  to  prepare  assessment  rolls  of  the  several  boroughs  for  delivery  to  the 
Board  of  Aldermen.  The  said  Board,  previous  to  and  during  the  time  the  said  books 
are  open  as  aforesaid,  for  inspection,  shall  advertise  the  fact  in  the  City  Record  and 
in  such  other  newspaper  or  newspapers  published  in  the  several  Boroughs  created  by 
this  Act  as  may  be  authorized  by  the  Board  of  City  Record. 

Section  2.     This  Act  shall  take  eff'ect  immediatelv. 


48 

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Tenement  House  Law  regarding  Outer  Courts. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly  do 
enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  Section  57  of  Chapter  99  of  the  Laws  of  1909  entitled  "An  Act  in  rela- 
tion to  tenement  houses  constituting  chapter  sixty-one  of  the  Consolidated  Laws"  is 
hereby  amended  to  read  as  follows: 

Section  57.  1 — Where  one  side  of  an  outer  court  is  situated  on  the  lot  line,  the 
width  of  the  said  court,  measured  from  the  lot  line  to  the  opposite  wall  of  the  build- 
ing, for  tenement  houses  sixty  feet  in  height  shall  not  be  less  than  six  feet  in  any  part; 
and  for  every  twelve  feet  of  increase  or  fraction  thereof  in  height  of  the  said  building, 
such  width  shall  be  increased  six  inches  throughout  the  entire  height  of  said  court; 
and  for  every  twelve  feet  of  decrease  in  the  height  of  the  said  building  below  sixty 
feet,  such  width  may  be  decreased  six  inches.  Whenever  an  outer  court  exceeds  sixty- 
five  feet  in  length  and  does  not  extend  from  the  street  to  the  yard,  the  entire  court 
shall  be  increased  in  width  one  foot  for  every  additional  thirty  feet  or  fraction  thereof 
in  excess  of  sixty-five  feet.  Except  that  in  tenement  houses  hereafter  erected  not  ex- 
ceeding four  stories  and  cellar  in  height  and  which  also  are  not  occupied  or  arranged 
to  be  occupied  by  more  than  [eight]  nine  families  in  all,  or  by  more  than  two  families 
on  any  floor,  and  in  which  also  each  apartments  extends  through  from  the  street  to 
the  yard,  the  width  of  an  outer  court  situated  on  the  lot  line  shall  not  be  less  than 
four  feet  in  any  part  provided  that  the  length  of  such  outer  court  does  not  exceed 
thirty-six  feet. 

2..  Where  an  outer  court  is  situated  between  wings  or  part  of  the  same  building, 
or  between  different  buildings  on  the  same  lot,  the  width  of  the  said  court,  measured 
from  wall  to  Avail,  for  tenement  houses  sixty  feet  in  height  shall  not  be  less  than  twelve 
feet  in  any  part;  and  for  every  twelve  feet  of  increase  or  fraction  thereof  in  the 
height  of  the  said  building,  such  width  shall  be  increased  one  foot  throughout  the 
entire  height  of  said  court ;  and  for  every  twelve  feet  of  decrease  in  the  height  of  the 
said  buildings  below  sixty  feet,  such  width  of  the  said  court  may  be  decreased  one  foot. 
Wherever  an  outer  court  exceeds  sixty-five  feet  in  length,  the  entire  court  shall  be 
increased  in  width  two  feet  for  every  additional  thirty  feet  or  fraction  thereof  in 
excess  of  sixty-five  feet.  Except  that  in  tenement  houses  hereafter  erected  not  ex- 
ceeding four  stories  and  cellar  in  height  and  which  also  are  not  occupied  or  arranged  to 
be  occupied  by  more  than  [eight]  nine  families  in  all,  or  by  more  than  two  families  on 
any  floor,  and  in  which  also  each  apartment  extends  through  from  the  .street  to  the 
yard,  the  width  of  an  outer  court  situated  between  wings  or  parts  of  the  same  building, 
or  between  different  buildings  on  the  same  lot,  measured  from  wall  to  wall,  shall  be 
not  less  than  eight  feet  in  any  part  provided  that  the  length  of  said  outer  court  does 
not  exceed  thirty-six  feet. 

3.  Wherever  an  outer  court  changes  its  initial  horizontal  direction,  or  wherever 
any  part  of  such  court  extends  in  a  direction  so  as  not  to  receive  direct  light  from  the 
street  or  yard,  the  length  of  such  portion  of  said  court  shall  never  exceed  the  width 
of  said  portion;  such  length  to  be  measured  from  the  point  at  which  the  change  of 
direction  commences.  Wherever  an  outer  court  is  less  in  depth  than  the  minimum 
width  prescribed  by  this  article,  then  its  width  may  be  equal  to.  but  not  less  than  its 
depth,  provided  that  such  width  is  never  less  than  four  feet  in  the  clear.  This  excep- 
tion shall  also  apply  to  each  offset  or  recess  in  outer  courts.  And  no  window  except 
windows  of  w^ater-closet  compartments,  bathrooms  or  halls  shall  open  upon  any  offset 
or  recess  less  than  six  feet  in  width. 

Sec.  2.     This  act  shall  take  eft'ect  immediately. 


49 

RECOMMENDATIOXS     01-     THE    COMMITTEE    ON    PARKS    AND    PLAY- 
GROUNDS,   SCHOOLS    AND    RECREATION    CENTRES    OF    THE    NEW 
YORK  CITY  COMMISSION  ON  CONGESTION  OF  POPULATION,  PRE- 
PARED BY  ALDERMAN  JAMES  E.  CAMPBELL.  CPIAIRMAN. 
The  Committee  submit  the  following  recommendations  based  upon  the  evidence 

and  suggestions  submitted  at  tlie  hearings  of  the  Committee  and  upon  investigations 

made  by  the  members  of  the   Committee.     The  recommendations  of  the   Committee 

naturally  divide  themselves  into  two  parts: 

I.  Recommendations   regarding  parks   and   playgrounds. 

II.  Recommendations   regarding   schools   and   recreation   centres. 

The  Committee  would,  however,  first  make  two  general  recommendations  with 
regard  to  the  City's  policy  of  acquisition  of   land   for  public  purposes. 

First:  The  City  should  acquire  land  in  contemplation  of  future  public  needs 
as  early  as  possible.  The  table  submitted  as  an  appendix  to  this  report  shows  that 
in  practically  every  case  the  City  has  saved  money  by  purchasing  land  early.  Even 
including  the  cost  of  buildings  on  the  land  condemnation  costs  and  losses  from 
taxes  and  interest  charges,  the  assessed  value  of  the  sites  of  hundreds  of  public 
buildings  is  several  hundred  per  cent,  greater  now  than  the  total  amount  paid.  By 
such  early  acquisition  of  land  the  City  gets  the  entire  increase  in  the  value  of  the 
land,  and  it  is  only  on  this  land  owned  by  the  City  that  it  secures  this  increment  of 
land  value.  Of  943  sites  studied,  19  parcels,  or  one  in  every  27,  had  increased  over 
2,C00  per  cent. 

Second:  The  City  may  sometimes  need  to  sell  land  that  is  very  valuable,  but 
should  never  sell  land  that  is  cheap,  and  should  use  the  proceeds  of  sales  of  very 
valuable  land  to  acquire  cheap  land.  The  history  of  the  acquisition  of  land  by  New 
York  City  shows,  unfortunately,  a  "piecemeal"  purchase  of  land,  entirely  out  of  pro- 
portion to  the  increasing  needs  of  the  community.  Of  513  school  sites  in  New  York 
City,  in  229  cases,  nearly  one-half,  less  than  the  entire  site  was  purchased  at  one 
time.  In  17  cases  the  total  amount  of  land  required  was  secured  at  five  different 
times,  extending  over  a  series  of  years.  Two  typical  instances  of  the  cost  of  this 
delay  in  acquiring  land  are  the  site  of  School  21,  33  Greenwich  St.,  where  the  City 
paid  in  1849,  $0.79  per  square  foot,  and  in  1905,  56  years  later,  paid  $13.37  per  square 
foot.  In  the  same  way  land  was  purchased  by  the  City  for  School  34,  Norman, 
Eckford  and  Oakland  sts.,  Brooklyn,  m  1867,  for  $0.23,  while  it  paid  in  1906,  or 
30  years  later,  $7.16  per  square   foot,   or  thirty-one  times  as  much. 

I.     Recommendations  Regarding  Parks  and  Playgrounds  and  Standard  of  Parks 

AND  Playgrounds. 
Officials   of   the    Department   of    Parks   have   appeared   before   the   Committee   in 
reference  to  the   Parks  and   Playgrounds  situated  in   New   York  City.     Mr.    Howard 
Bradstreet,    Superintendent    of    Recreation    in    Manhattan    and    Richmond,    differen- 
tiated classes  of  Parks  as  follows : 

1.  Excursion   Parks,   e.   g.,   Van   Cortlandt. 

2.  Landscape   Parks,   e.  g..   Central,   Riverside. 

3.  Ornamental  Parks,  e.  g.,  Madison  Square. 

4.  Athletic  Fields,  e.  g.,  Jasper  Oval. 

5.  Playgrounds,   e.   g.,   Hamilton   Fish. 

The  Committee,  in  making  their  report,  have  adopted  this  general  suggestion, 
but  realize  that  it  is  necessary  to  recognize  the  economic  limitations  of  providing 
excursion  parks,  and  even  larger  parks,  in  certain  sections  of  the  City  where  land 
is  enormously  expensive.  They  also  appreciate  the  necessity  of  establishing  a  cer- 
tain standard  of  area,  that  is,  a  certain  number  of  square  feet,  as  a  minimum 
amount  of  playground  which  should  be  provided  for  every  child.  Thirty  (30) 
square  feet  has  been  suggested  as  the  minimum,  although  eighty  (80)  square  feet 
is  a  more  reasonable  allowance.  An  equally  important  point,  however,  has  been 
emphasized  before  the  Committee,  that  this  park  area  must  be  accessible  to  the 
children  in  the  neighborhood,  since  few  children  can  go  more  than  half  a  mile, 
and  usually  not  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  to  a  playground.  The  existence  of 
large  parks,  such  as  Central  Park,  Crotona  and  Van  Cortlandt  Parks,  and  The 
Bronx  Park  in  The  Bronx,  and  Prospect  Park  in  Brooklyn,  while  swelling  the  total 
park  area  of  the  City,  is  of  little  value  in  the  problem  of  securing  playgrounds  for 
children,  since  a  relatively  small  number  of  the  entire  City's  population  can  live 
within  a  distance  of  one-quarter  to  one-half  mile  of  such  parks,  which,  as  has  been 
suggested  to  the  Committee,  are  really  excursion  parks.  It  is  impossible  to  deter- 
mine the  total  area  and  playground  area  that  will  be  required  in  certain  districts 
if  they  are  permitted  to  grow  up  in  the   same  haphazard  way  as  have  most  of  the 


so 

boroughs  of  New  York  City.  The  Committee  have  been  impressed  with  the  fact 
that  in  all  of  the  outlying  boroughs  of  the  City  there  is  a  very  inadequate  provision 
of  parks  and  playgrounds  when  we  exclude  the  total  acreage  of  the  enormous  ex- 
cursion parks,  which,  as  above  noted,  are  not  available  for  play  purposes  to  the 
children  of  the  neighborhood.  So  long  as  it  is  permissible  to  erect  four  and  five- 
story  tenements  in  outlying  districts,  where  small  two-family  houses,  or  at  most 
three-story  tenements,  should  be  permitted,  it  will  be  difficult  for  the  City  to  deter- 
mine the  total  park  area  required. 

Suggestions  Regarding  New  Parks  and  Playgrounds. 

Third :  Various  suggestions  have  been  made  as  to  the  methods  of  acquiring 
more  parks  and  playgrounds.  Until  a  comparatively  few  years  ago  the  City  paid 
for  these  out  of  the  General  Fund,  but  in  1907  a  ruling  was  adopted  by  the  Board 
of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  that  any  proposition  for  parks  and  playgrounds 
was  not  to  be  considered  unless  the  cost  was  to  be  assessed  upon  the  property  ben- 
efited. The  result  of  this  action  has  been  that,  while  for  several  years  prior  to  1907 
nearly  ICO  acres  of  park  area  were  acquired  by  the  City  every  year,  during  1908, 
following  the  adoption  of  this  resolution  by  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportion- 
ment, only  14  acres  of  parks  were  acquired  by  the  City.  It  seems  evident  that  a 
certain  amount  of  park  area  should  be  acquired  by  the  City,  and  if  it  is  not  paid 
for  by  local  assessment  some  other  arrangement  should  be  found  for  paying  therefor. 
It  has  been  suggested  before  the  Committee  that  part  of  the  cost  of  parks  should 
be  assessed  upon  the  property  benefited,  part  upon  the  Borough  in  which  located, 
and  part  upon  the  City.  The  Committee  would  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  during 
the  past  the  City  has  purchased  land  at  enormous  prices  for  park  purposes  in  Man- 
hattan, paying  in  many  instances  at  the  rate  of  over  $1,000,000  per  acre.  It  seems, 
therefore,  manifestly  improper  and  unjust  that  the  City,  having  made  all  these 
provisions  for  the  congested  districts  of  the  City,  should  refuse  to  make  similar 
provisions  in  the  sections  of  the  City  where  land  is  cheap,  and  where  wage  earners 
may  live  comfortably  and  with  a  reasonable  expenditure  for  rent. 

The  Committee  therefore  recommends  that  the  City  acquire  land  for  parks  and 
playgrounds  in  the  outlying  Boroughs,  part  of  the  cost  thereof  to  be  assessed  upon 
the  property  benefited,  part  upon  the  Borough  in  which  located,  and  part  upon  the 
City.  They  realize  that  providing  a  healthy  working  population  in  the  Boroughs  of 
Brooklyn,  Queens,  The  Bronx  and  Richmond  adds  materially  to  the  value  of  land 
to  be  used  for  commercial  and  business  purposes  in  Manhattan,  and  there  is  no 
reason  why  this  valuable  land  in  Manhattan  should  not  pay  part  of  this  cost  for 
the  City.  A  second  suggestion  made  to  the  Committee  is  that  the  buildings  should 
be  demolished  at  the  ends  of  congested  blocks,  and  that  the  areas  thus  vacated 
should  be  improved  by  the  City  as  parks  or  public  places.  The  Committee,  however, 
finds  that  the  assessed  land  values  alone  of  many  of  these  blocks  are  as  high  as 
$8  to  $20  per  square  foot,  that  is,  the  land  alone  in  these  blocks  would  cost  from 
$500,000  to  $1,200,000  per  acre,  aside  from  the  cost  of  the  buildings,  which  would 
probably  be  about  50  per  cent,  of  this  amount,  and  it  seems  to  them  that  it  is  not 
feasible  to  attempt  to  make  ideal  conditions  for  the  people  living  in  the  congested 
districts  for  which  this  has  been  particularly  suggested,  si.vce  it  is  not  feasible  or 
practical  for  manj^  more  years  to  have  the  City's  working  population  in  these  sec- 
tions, which  will  probably  be  improved  for  commercial  and  business  purposes  within 
a  few  years.  It  is  true  that  many  insanitary  buildings  should  be  demolished,  and 
the  City  might  rent  these  parcels  of  land  for  park  and  playground  purposes,  as  also 
the  lots  now  vacant. 

The  President  of  the  Department  of  Taxes  and  Assessments  has  furnished  the 
Committee  with  a  list  of  vacant  separately  assessed  parcels  in  each  Borough,  as 
follows : 

Percentage  of 
Number.        Total  Parcels. 

Manhattan     9.061  9 

Bronx    32.022  52 

Brooklyn    4^.046  24 

Queens    73,899  64 

Richmond    15,872  54 

178,900  35 


5i 

Every  parcel  whicli  contains  any  improvements,  however  slight,  is  counted  as  an 
improved  parcel. 

The  suggestion  was  made  to  the  Connnittce  that  legislation  should  be  enacted 
requiring  property  owners  to  rent  their  land  to  the  City  for  use  as  parks  and  play- 
grounds, and  also  that  a  transfer  of  property  from  one  City  department  to  another 
should  be  facilitated  by  prompt  action  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  Sinking  Fund. 

Section  205  of  the  Charter  provides  in  part : 

"That  the  Commissioners  of  the  Sinking  Fund  shall  have  power  to  assign  to  use 
for  any  public  purpose  any  city  property  for  whatsoever  purpose  originally  acquired 
which  may  be  found  by  the  Department  having  control  thereof  to  be  no  longer  required 
for  such  purposes." 

It  is  therefore  evident  that  it  is  entirely  feasible  for  the  City  to  transfer  parcels 
of  land  from  one  City  department  to  another  and  it  is  quite  within  the  scope  of  the  City 
authorities  to  have  such  transfer  made  promptly.  The  Committee  after  consideration 
of  the  suggestion  that  the  owners  of  property  should  be  required  to  lease  their  prop- 
erty for  park  purposes,  feel  that  this  is  not  a  feasible  suggestion,  but  nevertheless  sug- 
gest that  the  owners  should  be  urged  strongly  to  do  so.  The  following  table  gives 
the  Park  acreage  by  Boroughs  in  the  City  in  1909 : 


Per  cent,  of    Assessed 

Park  Area    Population  Borough         Value  Per  cent, 

in  Acres     per  Acre  of    Area  in      of  Parks  Capital 

Borough                                      (mapped).  Park  Areas.     Parks        Acquired.  Invested. 

Manhattan    1,141           1,589            10.3    $341,665,500  00  105.55 

Brooklyn     1,178           1,266              2.4        46.500.90C  00  31.50 

The  Bronx   3,943               83            15.2        27,951,000  00  86.83 

Queens    1,101              211              1.5          1,771,000  00  10.07 

Richmond    68           1,127              0.2             198.250  00  3.31 


Entire  City 7,731  572  3.7    $418,085,650  00         94.98 


The  Committee  also  recommend  that  the  Commission  request  the  Board  of 
Aldermen  to  pass  an  ordinance  permitting  the  City  to  supervise  as  playgrounds  land 
owned  by  private  citizens.  As  indicated  to  the  Committee  by  Mr.  Bradstreet,  there 
are  many  such  parcels  throughout  the  City,  the  use  of  which  would  be  given  without 
charge  by  the  owners  provided  this  was  permitted,  but  under  the  present  law  the 
Park  Department  cannot  pay  any  City  employee  who  works  on  private  ground. 

Fourth :  The  Committee  further  recommend  that  adequate  appropriation  be 
made  by  the  City  for  the  maintenance  of  parks  and  pla3'grounds  and  for  supervision 
of  these  where  necessary.  Although  simple  apparatus  may  be  used  without  much 
supervision,  nevertheless  the  work  of  the  Supervisor  is  of  great  importance  not  only 
in  directing  the  play  of  the  children,  but  in  training  and  forming  their  character; 
especially  would  the  Committee  urge  that  adequate  park  and  playground  provision, 
with  supervision,  be  made  for  the  outlying  Boroughs  of  the  City. 

II.     Schools  and  Recre,\tion  Centers. 

Hon.  Egerton  L.  Winthrop,  President,  and  Superintendent  W.  H.  Maxwell,  and 
Miss  Grace  Strachan,  all  of  the  Board  of  Education,  and  other  citizens  interested  in  the 
school  problem  of  the  City,  have  appeared  before  your  Committee  in  reference  to  the 
congestion  of  schools.  The  Department  of  Education  has  submitted  figures  show- 
ing that  there  were  on  October  31,  1910,  5,933  classes  having  from  41  to  50  pupils,  and 
2,643  classes  from  51  to  60  pupils,  and  257  having  more  than  60  pupils,  while  10  had 
registers  of  over  81.  As  part  of  this  report,  is  submitted  a  record  of  the  average 
attendance  of  pupils  per  room  in  each  of  the  schools  in  each  school  district,  with 
a  record  of  the  number  of  school  rooms  having  a  registration  of  60  to  70,  and  70  to  80 
pupils.  Dr.  Maxwell  suggested  that  instead  of  providing  so  many  new  classes, 
it  might  be  possible  to  divide  the  number  of  pupils  in  the  school  room  and  have 
an  assistant  teacher  who  would  instruct  the  backward  pupils  and  assist  the  teacher 
in  correcting  the  written  work  of  the  pupils.  Dr.  Maxwell  agreed,  however,  that  it 
is  best  not  to  have  a  registration  of  over  40  to  a  class. 

Miss  Strachan,  who  appeared  before  the  Committee,  stated  that  she  had  in 
her  districts  a  great  many  classes  of  over  50  and  that  she  would  rather  have  this 
condition  than  to  have  the  children  on  the  streets.  She  said  that  she  was  quite  sat- 
isfied to  have  the  registration  of  40  pupils,  although  good  work  was  being  done  in 
classes  with  45   pupils   registered. 

First:     The  Committee  recommend  that  sufficient  appropriation  be  made  to  the 


52 

Department  of  Education  to  provide  a  teacher  for  every  40  pupils  in  the  elementary 
schools  on  the  basis  of  the  registration  and  within  one-third  of  a  mile  of  the  homes  of 
pupils  ten  years  of  age  and  under,  and  three-quarters  of  a  mile  of  the  homes  of  pupils 
over  ten  years  of  age,  and  further,  that  a  suitable  school  room  be  provided  on  the  same 
basis  for  every  40  pupils  registered. 

Second:  The  Conunittee  also  recommend  that  no  school  building  'outside  of 
Manhattan  should  be  over  three  stories  in  height,  nor  have  accommodations  for 
more  than  1500  pupils,  and  that  not  over  40  seats  be  provided  in  any  room  in  any  ele- 
mentary school. 

Third :  The  Committee  recommend  that  adequate  yard  area  be  provided  for 
every  school  purchased,  and  in  case  there  is  not  sufficient  playground  area  within 
accessible  distance  of  the  homes  of  pupils  attending  the  school,  that  it  be  ac- 
quired in  connection  with  the  school  site  or  in  the  vicinity,  so  as  to  provide  an  area 
of  at  least  60  square  feet  for  every  child  of  school  age.  The  suggestion  has  been 
made  to  the  Committee  that  indoor  playgrounds  are  ample  substitutes  for  outdoor 
playgrounds,  but  although  this  substitution  may  be  necessary  in  the  congested  districts 
of  the  City,  the  Committee  feel  that  the  suggestion  is  not  feasible  for  the  Boroughs 
outside  of  Manhattan,  since  the  basement  playgrounds  or  playgrounds  on  the  first 
fioor  are  apt  to  be  damp,  ill-lighted  and  poor!"  ventilated. 

Fourth :  The  Committee  recommend  that  the  Department  of  Education  be  re- 
quested to  give  more  instruction  in  physiology  and  hygiene  and  to  impress  upon 
school   children  the  physical   effects  of   room   overcrowding. 

Fifth  :  The  Committee  recommend  that  training  in  gardening  be  given  as  part 
of  the  required  school  work  for  every  pupil,  since  this  would  have  an  important  in- 
fluence in  encouraging  children,  and,  through  them,  their  parents,  to  remove  from 
the   congested   districts. 

Sixth :  The  Committee  have  made  a  careful  study  of  the  provisions  for  Recrea- 
tion Centres,  and  the  opportunity  for  recreation  in  the  various  Boroughs  outside  of 
Manhattan  and  in  New  York  City,  and  they  find  that  while  large  provision  has  been 
made  in  most  sections  of  Manhattan  and  some  sections  of  Brooklyn,  that  little  ef- 
fort has  been  made  comparatively  to  attract  the  population  to  outlying  Boroughs 
by  providing  recreation  centres  and  playgrounds,  and  therefore  recommend  that 
the  Department  of  Education  be  urged  to  adopt  the  policy  of  attracting  people  to 
these  newer  sections  of  the  City,  as  yet  undeveloped,  by  providing  these  attractions 
in  these  sections. 

Seventh:  The  Committee  have  not  felt  it  within  their  jurisdiction  to  discuss 
the  advantages  of  supervision  of  recreation  by  the  Park  Department  and  the  De- 
partment of  Education,  or  by  the  creation  of  a  Recreation  Department,  as  has  been 
suggested.  It  is  apparent,  however,  that  it  would  be  advantageous  to  have  these  edu- 
cational activities  under  one  department,  and  the  Committee  recommend  that  the 
Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  be  requested  to  consider  this  matter  in 
their  study  of  the  Department  of   Education. 

Eighth :  The  Committee  recommend  that  the  Department  of  Education  should 
take  steps  immediately  to  provide  as  ample  accommodations  for  pupils,  in  the  Bor- 
oughs outside  of  Manhattan  as  in  that  Borough,  since  they  believe  that  every  in- 
ducement and  advantage  offered  by  the  City  in  congested  sections  should  be  pro- 
vided in  less  densely  populated  sections  of  the  City  as  a  means  of  attracting  people 
to  those  sections. 

STATEMENT  SUBMITTED  TO  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  PARKS  AND  PLAY- 
GROUNDS,  SCHOOLS   AND   RECREATION    CENTERS. 
A.     Statement  by  William  H.  Maxwell,  Superintendent  of  Schools. 

Dr.  Maxwell  took  up  the  information  requested  by  the  Committee  as  follows : 

1st.  Number  of  rooms,  by  schools,  now  in  use,  which  are  not  fit  to  be  used  for 
school  purposes. 

2nd.  What  amount  in  addition  to  the  appropriations  requested  by  the  Department 
of  Education  for  1911,  will  be  required  for  each  borough  to  rent  or  provide  otherwise, 
one  room  well  lighted  by  natural  light  and  suitable  for  school  purposes  for  every  35 
pupils,  on  the  basis  of  the  average  attendance,  and  within  one-third  of  a  mile  of  the 
home  of  every  pupil  ten  years  of  age  or  under,  and  w-ithin  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
of  every  pupil  in  the  elementary  schools  over  ten  years  of  age? 

'^  hat  amount  in  addition  to  the  appropriations  requested  by  the  Depart- 
ment of  Education  will  be  required  to  provide  a  teacher  for  every  35  pupils  on  the 
basis  of  the  average  attendance  with  the  same  provision  as  in  (2)  for  proximity  to  the 
homes  of  the  pupils? 

What  amount  in  addition  to  the  appropriations  requested  by  the  Department  of 


53 

Education  will  be  required  for  1911  to  provide  adequately  for  the  City's  High  School 
needs? 

He  presented  a  report  on  this  subject  (as  appended  herewith)  from  Associate 
Superintendent  Thomas  D.  O'Brien.  In  substance,  an  estimate  was  given  that  there 
are  67,368  pupils  in  classes  having  more  than  40  to  a  class,  and  that  to  furnish  an 
extra  teacher  for  every  40  pupils  would  require  1,684  teachers,  and,  at  $900  each,  the 
cost  for  their  salaries  would  lie  $1,515,000.  The  estimate  did  not  present,  however,  the 
amount  required  to  rent  additional  rooms  for  these  pupils. 

Dr.  Maxwell  stated,  however,  that  he  had  a  way  which  had  not  yet  been  approved 
by  the  Board  of  Education,  and  which  he  submitted  entirely  on  his  own  responsibility 
for  dealing  with  the  problem  of  large  classes.  He  suggested  that  an  assistant  teacher 
should  be  provided  for  all  rooms  in  which  there  was  an  excess  of  pupils,  who  should 
assist  the  regular  teacher  in  correcting  all  of  the  written  work  of  this  class,  and  who 
should  also  take  care  of  backward  pupils  in  these  rooms  by  special  instruction.  This 
plan  has  been  in  operation  in  Batavia,  N.  Y.,  and  has  proven  successful.  New 
York  City  has  a  large  number  of  substitute  teachers  who  could  be  used  in  this  way, 
and  if  the  grade  of  assistant  teachers  were  created,  they  might  go  into  grade  work 
in  this  way,  at  least  in  the  classes  which  now  have  over  60,  of  which  there  are  145. 
The  expense  could  be  largely  met  out  of  the  money  now  used  for  substitutes.  The 
system  has  already  been  tried  in  case  of  50  or  60  classes  of  backward  pupils.  It  would 
be  preferable  probably  for  the  present  to  use  substitute  teachers,  since  the  Board  of 
Education  would  not  have  money  available  now  to  pay  $500  per  year  for  assistant 
teachers.    The  total  cost  would  be  $72,500. 

Dr.  Maxwell  stated  that  it  would  not  be  feasible  to  rent  enough  rooms  for  excess 
pupils  that  are  fit  for  the  purpose,  since  not  a  single  building  now^  rented  is  really  fit 
for  the  purpose. 

He  suggested  that  the  Committee  recommend  furnishing  class  rooms  with  mov- 
able furniture  as  is  done  in  Germany,  and  in  the  Ethical  Culture  School,  New  York 
City.  This  would  be  especially  important  for  the  assistant  teachers  since  it  would 
enable  them  to  take  part  of  the  large  classes  into  a  corner  and  teach  without  disturb- 
ing the  others. 

There  should  be  at  least  five  hours  per  day  for  all  elementary  schools,  and  this 
time  should  not  be  shortened.  In  case  of  the  children  of  foreign  parents,  not  only 
the  children,  but  the  parents,  would  get  the  benefit  of  the  training. 

Dr.  Maxwell  advocated  using  the  first  floor  of  school  buildings  for  covered  play- 
grounds. 

He  was  asked  what  division  of  playground  work  there  is  between  the  Depart- 
ment of  Parks  and  the  Department  of  Education,  and  replied  that  there  is  no  hard 
and  fast  division,  but  that  there  is  lack  of  co-ordination  between  the  Departments. 
Up  to  1904,  the  Department  of  Education  ran  playgrounds  in  some  of  the  small 
parks,  and  did  so  successfully  when  the  Park  Department  took  up  the  w'ork. 

When  asked  whether  he  would  recommend  a  Department  of  Recreation,  Dr.  Max- 
well replied,  that  in  his  judgment  this  is  unnecessary,  because  the  Department  of 
Education  can  manage  playgrounds  efficiently  and  economically  as  they  have  the 
people  to  do  the  work  and  the  machinery  for  doing  it.  Last  summer  the  average 
daily  attendance  in  the  playgrounds  in  the  City,  under  the  control  of  the  Board  of 
Education,  was  over  119,000.  There  are  more  plaj'grounds  of  this  sort  needed,  and 
have  been  asked  for  in  the  Budget  for  1911. 

The  Secretary  asked  whether  in  Mr.  Maxwell's  judgment,  in  the  outlying  bor- 
oughs, there  should  be  more  than  1,500  pupils  to  a  school,  and  he  replied,  that  ordin- 
arily this  was  a  sufficiently  large  number. 

Dr.  Maxwell  stated  that  in  densely  built  up  sections,  large  buildings  must  be 
erected.  In  other  sections  it  would  be  unwise  to  do  so.  One  question  to  be  con- 
sidered is  how  far  parents  will  permit  the  children  to  go  to  attend  school.  In  these 
days  of  automobiles,  etc.,  they  are  afraid  to  have  them  go  too  far. 

He  instanced  a  case  of  a  school  building  in  Queens,  where  there  are  11  stages 
carrying  the  children  to  the  school  and  yet  there  are  12  vacant  rooms. 

B.     Statement  by  Mr.  Howard  Bradstreet,  Superintendent  of  Rbcre.ation  in 
Manhattan  and  Richmond. 

There  are  a  number  of  vacant  areas  in  different  sections  of  the  City  that  could  be 
put  at  the  disposal  of  the  Park  Department  for  playgrounds  if  this  were  permitted ; 
but  under  the  law  the  Park  Department  could  not  pay  any  City  employee  to  work- 
on  private  grounds.  It  was  suggested  that  the  Commission  should  request  the  Board 
of  Aldermen  and  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  to  pass  an  ordinance  per- 
mitting the  City  to  administer  as  playgrounds  land  owned  by  private  citizens. 

The  Committee  suggested  that  the  City  could  for  a  nominal  sum,  such  as  $1, 
lease  areas  available  for  playgrounds  and  have  charge  of  the  playgrounds  on  this  basis. 


54 

He  suggested  tliat  the  City  miglit  remit  taxes  on  vacant  land  for  the  time  during 
which  it  was  used  for  playground  purposes  or  for  such  shorter  length  of  time  as 
would  be  equivalent  to  a  fair  rental,  as  is  done  in  St.  Louis. 

Mr.  Liradstreet  differentiated  classes  of  parks  as — 

1.  Excursion  parks,  e.  g..  Van  Cortlandt. 

2.  Landscape  parks,  e.  g.,  Central,  Riverside. 

3.  Ornamental  parks,  e.  g.,  Madison  Square. 

4.  Athletic  fields,  e.  g.,  Jasper  Oval. 

5.  Playgrounds,  e.  g.,  Hamilton  Fish. 

It  was  suggested  that  in  Manhattan,  where  land  is  expensive  and  only  limited 
areas  are  available,  that  soft  balls  should  be  used  for  baseballs  and  that  diamonds 
between  bases  be  45  feet  instead  of  90  feet;  also  a  law  to  legalize  baseball  playing  on 
Sunday  might  be  advocated  by  the  Connnission. 

The  baseball  diamonds  in  Crotona  Park  had  been  cut  up  to  prevent  Sunday 
playing,  while  in  most  of  the  Boroughs  baseball  cannot  be  played  on  vacant  lots  without 
the  permission  of  adjoining  owners. 

Mr.  Bradstreet  suggested  that  measures  should  be  taken  to  facilitate  the  temporary 
transfer  of  property  from  one  department  of  the  City  to  another,  and  also  that  vacant 
property  owned  by  the  City  might  be  utilized  for  playgrounds  temporarily  without 
requiring  the  formality  now  necessary  for  permanent  transfer. 

Mr.  Elliott  asked  Mr.  Bradstreet  whether  the  separate  play  buildings  were  neces- 
sary and  whether  they  were  more  advantageous  if  arranged  so  that  children  could 
use  theni  in  all  sorts  of  weather  for  outdoor  playgrounds  and  whether  it  would  not 
be  feasible  to  add  a  story  to  schools  only  three  or  four  stories  high,  which  could  be 
used  for  playgrounds.  Mr.  Bradstreet  replied  it  was  feasible  to  use  school  buildings 
and  that  the  system  of  New  York  City  by  which  school  buildings  are  used  so  con- 
tinuously is  as  commendable  as  the  South  Metropolitan  Park  Board  field  house  system 
in  Chicago.  There  should  be  in  connection  with  every  school  an  adequate  ground 
for  recreation.  All  schools  should  have  roof  gardens,  if  possible.  Alderman  Hamilton 
suggested  that  the  Commission  recommend  that  in  the  future  no  school  site  should 
be  purchased  without  providing  adequate  space  for  playgrounds. 

Mr.  Bradstreet  stated  that  30  square  feet  of  playground  for  'each  child  was 
regarded  as  the  niinimum,  but  that  to  secure  this  is  not  feasible  in  lower  Manhattan ; 
but  that  80  feet  is  a  more  reasonable  allowance. 

Mr.  Bradstreet  suggested  that  a  wide  street  or  parkway  with  facilities  for  play 
in  its  centre,  such  as  the  Eastern  parkway,  or  the  Delancey  boulevard,  gives  a  de- 
sirable opportunity  for  play  activity.  He  also  stated  that  a  small  strip  running  from 
street  to  street  between  avenues  in  the  centre  of  a  block,  or  at  the  end  of  a  block, 
making  a  checkerboard  pattern  of  small  playgrounds,  would  be  the  most  desirable 
development  in  congested  regions.  Such  a  proceeding  would  be  more  advantageous 
than  to  remove  the  fences  or  interior  buildings  in  the  centre  of  a  block,  as  it  would 
be  open  to  the  safeguard  of  publicity,  and  would  also  promote  a  greater  sociability 
instead  of  exclusiveness,  which  would  result  from  the  children  of  a  given  block- 
playing  within  its  limits. 

CONTINUATION  SCHOOLS. 

Mr.  Clarence  Arthur  Perry,  in  his  book.  "Wider  Use  of  the  School  Plant,"  gives 
the  following  sunnnary  of  the  work  of  continuation  schools. 

France. 

The  number  of  different  classes  held  and  the  kinds  of  '  courses  given  in  the 
"adult"  evening  schools  of  Paris  at  the  opening  of  the  term  in  October,  1909,  are 
shown  in  the  following  table : 

Classes  for 
Course  of  Instruction.  Men.  Women. 

Elementary,   1  st  year 84  4-1 

Elementary,   2d   year 24  8 

Commercial,  ]  st  year 35  21 

Commercial,  2d  year 27  16 

Advanced   commercial 7  1 

Freehand  drawing 45  5 

Mechanical  drawing  34 

Singing  22  12 

Technical  Course  13 

■       Totals 291  107 

Number  of  school  buildings  used 109  45 


55 

The  subjects  taught  vary  from  ethical  and  civic  instructions,  applications  of  arith- 
metic to  everyday  life,  history  of  France  in  modern  times,  geography  of  France 
and  the  Department  of  the  Seine,  included  in  the  first  year  of  the  elementary  course  to 
more  extended  work  in  this  elementary  course  in  the  second  year. 

In  the  commercial  course,  penmanship,  commercial  arithmetic,  commercial  geogra- 
phy for  boys,  stenography  and  typewriting  for  girls,  and  more  advanced  work  in  these 
courses  in  the  subsequent  years,  while  in  the  technical  course  workshop  practice, 
technology  and  machine  drawing  are  taught.  The  technical  courses  for  apprentices  are 
held  from  5  to  7  p.  m.  and  have  been  organized  in  several  public  schools  in  Paris. 

In  Munich,  Germany,  a  city  with  over  500,000  inhabitants,  all  apprentices  from 
fourteen  to  eighteen  years  of  age  are  compelled  to  attend  school  for  at  least  eight 
hours  per  week  during  40  weeks  of  the  year.  There  are  over  8,000  of  these  lads,  seven- 
eighths  of  them  attend  classes  in  which  all  the  members  belong  to  the  same  trade. 
These  trades  include  barbers,  bakers,  builders,  bookbinders  and,  in  all,  39  different 
groups  are  represented  in  these  "'trade  continuation  schools."  The  instruction  given  is 
of  three  kinds,  academic,  drawing  and  practical.'  The  keynote  of  the  instruction  is 
interesting  the  boys  in  their  trade.  Employers  are  obliged  to  allow  their  apprentices 
a  certain  amount  of  time  each  week  during  which  they  may  attend  the  "continuation 
schools,"  and  the  balance  of  the  required  time  is  put  in  on  the  weekly  half  holidays. 
Attendance  at  schools  is  free  to  apprentices.  Similar  teaching  is  given  in  a  number 
of  the  large  German  cities,  namely,  Magdeburg,  Leipsig  and  Zittau. 

Nottingham,  England,  also  provides  similar  courses  of  instruction  which  covers 
subjects  such  as  reading,  writing  and  arithmetic,  woodworking,  wood  carving  for 
boys,  reading,  writing  and  sewing,  sick  nursing,  management  of  children  and  cooking 
for  girls. 

The  next  higher  grade,  the  "continuation"  school,  offers  four  distinct  courses. 
(1)  A  preparatory  course  of  two  years  in  elementar}^  subjects;  (2)  an  industrial  course 
covering  three  years'  work  in  English,  composition,  technical  drawing,  experimental 
and  workshop  mathematics  and  drafting  for  building  construction;  (3)  a  commer- 
cial course  of  three  years  consisting  of  English,  a  modern  language,  commercial  arith- 
metic, shorthand,  bookkeeping,  business  correspondence  and  typewriting;  (4)  a 
domestic  course  comprising  three  j^ears'  training  in  housecraft,  all  kinds  of  needle- 
work, dressmaking,  milliner}-,  laundry  work,  domestic  h^^giene  and  care  of  the  baby. 
Besides  those  which  are  prescribed,  the  pupils  in  all  but  the  preparatory  course  are 
allowed  to  take  one  of  the  following  optional  subjects:  English  history,  commercial 
geography,  duties  of  citizenship,  singing,  ambulance,  nursing  (first  aid),  physical 
culture,  woodwork,  wood  carving  and  any  subject  included  in  the  domestic  course. 

In  Leeds  special  technical  courses  are  given  for  persons  engaged  in  the  following 
trades : 

1.  Mechanical  and  electrical  engineering. 

2.  Electrical  industries. 

3.  Building  trades. 

4.  Leather  and  boot  trades. 

5.  Clothing  trades. 

6.  Chemical  and  allied  industries. 

7.  Mining. 

8.  Textile  industries. 

9.  Printing. 
10.     Farriery. 

•     London,  Manchester  and  Halifax  have  as  well  similar  "Continuation  Schools." 

Statement    Showing    the    Number    of    Classes    in    Each    Borough    Having    Specified 
Registers  as  of  October  31,  1910. 

Register.  Manhattan     The  Bronx      Brooklyn  Queens        Richmond        Total 


41-45 

1.343 

300 

1,204 

234 

48 

3,129 

46-50 

1.189 

344 

1.091 

152 

28 

2,804 

51-55 

761 

245 

761 

54 

7 

1,828 

56-60 

328 

127 

341 

17 

2 

815 

61-65 

62 

28 

81 

D 

1 

176 

66-70 

22 

6 

21 

2 

51 

71-75 

2 

7 

4 

13 

76-80 

6 

1 

7 

81-84 

2 

i 

3 

6 

88-101 

3 

1 

4 

56 

A  stud_v  of  tlic  price  paid  by  the  City  per  square  foot  for  land  acquired  for 
school  sites  at  different  periods  and  in  different  sections  of  Manhattan  and  Brook- 
lyn— in  which  boroughs  approximately  three-fourths  of  the  city's  population  is 
located — is  most  illuminating  and  illustrates  the  enormous  cost  of  failure  to  secure 
land  early  before  it  has  acquired  capitalized  congestion  values. 

Manhattan. 


Before  1850    1850-1900 


1901-1908 


Below    Fourteenth    St $0  98 

Fourteenth  to  Fifty-third  St 30 

Fifty-third  to  One  Hundred  and  Twentieth  St  .... 

North  of  One  Hundred  and  Twentieth  St..  16 


$4  62 

2  90 

3  41 
2  79 


$13  00 

10  67 

5  87 

5  86 


Brooklyn. 


Prior  to  1850        1851-1900 


1901-1908 


Section  I 
Wards  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  11... 

Section  II 
Wards   6,    10,    12 

Section  III 
Wards  9,  20,  22 

Section  IV 
Wards    13,    15,    16,    18, 

Section    V 
Wards  14,   17    

Section  VI 
Wards  8,  30,  31.. 

Section  VII 
Ward  26  

Section  IX 
Wards  23,  24,  25,  27,  28 

Section  X 
Wards  29  and  32 


19. 


0  90 

$41  65 

$3  89 

1  46 

3  05 

14 

1  14 

1  79 

87 

2  29 

74 

1  32 

26 

'  78 

18 

1  27 

62 

1  01 

23 

45 

It  will  be  noted  that  whereas  the  lowest  price  paid  in  Manhattan  per  square  foot 
between  1851  and  1900  was  $2.79,  the  highest  price  paid  in  Brooklyn's  densely  popu- 
lated wards  from  1901  to  1908  was  only  $3.89 — $1.10  per  square  foot  more — and  the 
price  per  square  foot  paid  in  Manhattan  from  1901  to  1908  varied  from  $13  to  $5.86; 
i.  e.,  from  more  than  three  times,  or  about  one  and  one-half  times  as  much  as  paid 
during  the  same  period  for  school  sites  in  the  central  part  of  Brooklyn,  and  from 
fifteen  to  thirty  times  as  much  as  was  paid  in  the  outlying  wards  of  Brooklyn. 

Unbusinesslike  Methods  of  Securing  Land  for  School  Sites. 
The  following  table  shows  in  one  case  in  each  borough  the  penalty  the  City  has  paid 
by   faihng  to   secure   land    for   school   sites.     The   record   of   nearly  every   school   site 
purchased  in  Manhattan  is  an  almost  equal  indictment'  of  this  piecemeal  policy : 

Manhattan. 
School  14,  33  Greenwich  Avenue. 

Per  sq.  ft. 

1849    $0  79 

1851    0  84 

1890   8  40 

1897 9  56 

1905  13  37 

The    Bronx. 
School  18,  Cortlandt  Ave.,  between  College  and  148th  Sts. 

Per  sq.   ft. 

1848    $0  03 

1885   • 1  07 

1896   2  18 


Queens. 
School  58,  Grafton  Ave.,   Clinton   Place  and  Walker   St. 

Per  sq.  ft. 

1858    $0  02 

1880 0  07 

1 892   

1897 

1908 

Brooklyn. 
School  34,  Norman,  Eckford  and  Oakland  Sts. 

1867 

1904  

1906  

Richmond. 
School  20,  Elizabeth,  \'reeland,  Heberton  Sts.  and  Broadway. 

Per  sq.   ft. 

1842    $0  02 

1876    0  52 

1897 0  49 

1908    0  80 

Cases  in  which  the  City  has  purchased  sites  piecemeal,  and  number  of  times  land 
has  been  secured  for  sites  for  one  school  in  different  3-ears  : 


0  12 
0  17 
0  43 

•  sq.  ft. 
$0  23 

3  16 

7  16 

No.  of  SitesT't'l 
Three       Four      Five         Six       Total  Purchased  No. 
Twice       Times     Times     Times     Times     Cases  Outright       Sites 


Manhattan    45 

The  Bronx   12 

Brooklyn   38 

Queens   18 

Richmond    12 


iO 

10 

9 

3 

? 

1 

>2 

8 

4 

4 

2 

1 

4 

1 

2 

94 

63 

157 

18 

32 

50 

72 

98 

170 

26 

IZ 

99 

19 

18 

Z1 

Total    125  63  23  17  1  229         284  513 

Assessed  Values  and  Price  Paid. 
Table    showing   the   relation   between   the   Assessed   Valuation    of    certain    school 
sites  and  the  price  paid   for  them. 

Borough.  Assessed  Value  Price  Paid 

Manhattan   $703,500  00  $1,271,585  37 

The  Bronx... 142.000  00  581.410  00 

Brooklyn   41,400  00  142,900  00 

Queens    20,700  00  '  46,122  25 

Richmond    3,400  00  7,200  00 

Department  of  Education,  The  City  of  New  York,  the  Board  of  Superintendents, 
Park  avenue  and  Fifty-ninth  street,  October  21,  1910. 
Dr.  WILLIAM  H.  MAXWELL,  City  Superintendent  of  Schools: 

Dear  Sir — I  have  your  direction,  dated  October  19,  to  ascertain  the  number  of 
pupils  in  excess  of  40  who  are  now  in  the  elementary  school  classes,  and  to  ascertain 
how  many  extra  teachers  would  be  required  to  teach  said  excess  pupils,  and  the  cost 
of  said  extra  teachers  at  an  average  salary  of  $900. 

Secretary  Bussey  furnishes  the  following: 

(a)  Number  of  classes  containing  from  41  to  50  pupils 6,125 

(b)  Number  of  classes  containing  from  50  to  60  pupils 1,939 

(c)  Number  of  classes  containing  more  than  60  pupils 145 

I  exclude  the  classes  which  contain  fewer  than  41,  because  I  understand  a  class 

register  of  40  is  not  deemed  excessive. 

Probability  distributes  the  registers  of   (a)   so  that  their  average  size  is..  45J/2 

The  average  excess  over  40  is,  therefore 5^2 

6.125  X  51^ 33.688 

Similarly  the  average  size  of  the  (b)  classes  is 55^ 


58 

The  average  excess  of  these  classes  above  40  is 15^ 

1.939  X  ISVi 30.055 

As  to  the  (c)   list,  I  assume  that  these  classes  having  more  than  60.  the 

average  is    65 

145  X  25  (the  excess  over  40)  gives  the  aggregate  excess  in   (c)   as....  3,626 

Grand  total  of  excess  pupils  having  more  than  40 67,368 

Dividing  this   number  by  40,   we   obtain   the   number   of   extra  teachers 

required  to  teach  said  excess 1,684 

At  $900  each,  the  cost  for  their  salaries  could  be $1,515,600 

Respectfully  .vours,  (Signed)       THOMAS  D.  O'BRIEN, 

Inclosures.  Associate  City  Superintendent. 


REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  STREETS  AND  HIGHWAYS  OF  THE 
NEW  YORK  CITY  COMMISSION  ON  CONGESTION  OF  POPULATION. 
MR.  RUSSELL  BLEECKER,  CHAIRMAN. 

The  Committee  have  held  three  meetings  and  examined,  among  others,  the  Chief 
Engineer  of  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  Mr.  Nelson  P.  Lewis;  the 
Engineer  in  Charge  of  Public  Improvements.  Mr.  Arthur  S.  Tuttle,  and  Mr.  Louis  L. 
Tribus.  Consulting  Engineer  of  the  Borough  of   Richmond. 

The  Committee  have  studied  chieflv  the  concentration  of  factories,  lofts  and 
mercantile  establishments  in  the  centre  of  Manhattan,  the  lack  of  means  of  carrying 
freight-,  narrowness  of  stref^ts.  heights  of  buildings,  the  tearing  up  of  streets  for 
construction  of  buildings  and  reprirs,  etc..  as  aljo  the  methods  of  widening  streets 
and  increasing  their  capacity,  both  fol   traffic  and  passengers. 

The  importance  of  the  subject  is  apparent  to  any  one  who  has  seen  the  congestion 
of  traffic  and  passengers  in  the  streets  downtown,  and  realizes  the  cost  of  widening 
streets  and  the  relation  between  the  nature  of  the  streets,  their  composition  and  com- 
parative cost,  to  rents  in  the  City.  The  tables  appended  show  statistically  the  cost 
of  these  various  items.  The  relation  of  transit  lines  and  streets  has  also  been  touched 
upon  by  those  who  have  appeared  before  the  Comm.ittee.  and  the  Committee  on 
Transit,  and  suggestions  made  that  transit  lines  should  be  determined  first  and  the 
.<%treet  lines  later. 

The  following  subjects  were  considered  and  answers  to  the  questions  on  these 
points  by  Borough  Presidents  are   submitted  herewith  : 

(1)  Are  more  thoroughfares  needed  and  where?  .Should  new  parkways  through 
residence  sections  be  ISO  feet  wide? 

(2)  Should  not  the  Borough  Presidents  be  asked  to  call  upon  the  Park  Com- 
missioners to  plant  trees  at  time  the  streets  are  laid  out,  the  cost  thereof  to  be 
as.-^essed  as  part  of  the  cost  of  the  streets? 

(3)  Is  not  carrying  freight  by  subways  preferable  to  carrying  it  on  surface  roads? 

(4)  In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  City  is  obliged  to  wait  six  months  after  a 
board  to  condemn  property  for  public  purposes  is  appointed  before  it  can  vest  title 
but  the  Public  Service  Commission  can  vest  title  for  rapid  transit  purposes  im- 
mediately, should  not  legislation  be  secured  to  enable  the  City  to  acquire  property 
before  houses  are  built  upon  property  so  as  to  enable  the  owners  thereof  to  secure 
larger  damage?  What  method  can  the  City  adopt  to  protect  itself  effectively  against 
this  house  planting  and  to  secure  proper  widths  of  streets? 

(5)  Should  the  Commission  favor  paving  streets  before  sewers  are  put  in? 

In  answer  to  the  question  sent  to  the  Borough  Presidents  as  to  what  proportion 
of  the  Borough  is  provided  with  sewerage  disposal,  it  is  learned  that  there  is  55 
per  cent,  of  Brooklyn,  17.4  per  cent,  of  Queens  and  20  per  cent,  of  Richmond.  The 
Borough  President  of  Manhattan  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  lack  of  such  sewers 
had  not  in  any  wav  prevented  the  construction  of  tenements  and  other  dwellings, 
while  the  Borough  Presidents  of  Brooklyn.  Queens  and  Richmond  stated  that  the  lack 
of  sewers  had.  particularly  in  specified  sections,  prevented  the  construction  of  tene- 
ments and  other  dwellings.  In  reply  to  the  question  as  to  whether  it  is  wise  to 
permit  streets  to  be  paved  before  sewers  for  sewerage  disposal  are  constructed  or 
such  sewers  be  constructed  first,  the  Borou.gh  Presidents  of  Manhattan,  The  Bronx 
and  Brooklyn  indicate  that  it  would  be  wisest  not  to  permit  this,  while  the  Borough 
President  of  Queens  stated  it  depended  upon  local  conditions. 

In  reference  to  planting  trees  at  the  time  streets  are  paved  and  assessing  the 
cost  thereof  on  the  streets  or  on  the  property  benefited,  there  was  a  difference  of 
opinion ;  the  Borough  President  of  Manhattan  stated  that  tree  planting  was  only 
feasible  in  the  residence  streets.  The  Borough  President  of  The  Bronx  stated  that 
it  was  entii-ely  practical  to  plant  trees  even  at  the  time  the  streets  are  regulated  and 


59 

graded,  which  is  frequently  a  number  of  years  before  they  arc  paved,  but  does  not 
know  if  the  cost  should  be  legally  assessed  upon  the  property  benefited  or  not,  although 
probably  not.  The  Queens  Horough  President  stated  that  trees  should  be  planted  as 
soon  as  possible.  The  Richmond  Borough  President  thought  that  the  trees  should 
be  planted  by  the  Department  of  Parks  and  maintained  by  it  without  local  assessment. 

Congestion  of  Streets — The  appended  table  show's  the  number  of  vehicles  passing 
a  certain  point  in  lower  Manhattan  between  given  hours  and  also  the  number  of 
passengers  which  have  used  the  sidewalks  at  the  same  time,  the  number  of  people 
entering  certain  buildings  within  certain  periods.  While  it  has  not  been  possible  for 
your  Committee  to  make  an  elaborate  study  of  the  loss  of  time  due  to  the  large 
number  of  vehicles  held  up  at  street  crossings,  it  is  evident  that  with  as  high  as  2,526 
vehicles  passing  a  given  point,  as  was  the  case  at  Broadway  and  Fulton  sts., 
Tuesday,  October  27,  1907,  in  the  one  hour  between  4  and  5  o'clock  p.  m..  a 
large  amount  of  the  time  must  inevitably  be  lost  with  the  delay  occasioned  while  the 
streams  of  traffic  alternate.  At  Broadway  and  Chambers  sts.  it  was  found  by  the 
Police  Department  that  between  10  and  11  a.  m.  on  Tuesday,  October  22,  1907,  2,412 
vehicles  passed.  These  figures  give  some  indication  of  the  enormous  wear  and  tear 
upon  the  streets,  moreover  due  to  the  concentration  of  factories,  ofiice  buildings  and 
places  of  business  in  the  limited  district  below  Chambers  st.  It  was  found,  too, 
that  nearly  2,973  people  left  the  National  Bank  of  Commerce  Building,  31  Nassau 
St.,  in  one  hour,  from  3  to  4  p.  m.,  on  August  3,  1908. 

Width  of  Streets — There  are  in  lower  Manhattan,  between  Fulton,  Pearl,  Water. 
\\'hitehall.  Battery  place  and  Greenwich  sts.,  two  streets  for  some  distance  20  fe,et 
wide,  having  buildings  two  to  ten  stories,  one  street  for  some  distance  24  feet  wide 
having  buildings  two  to  eight  stories,  seven  streets  for  some  distance  30  to  34  feet 
wide  having  buildings  two  to  seventeen  stories,  and  one  street  for  some  distance  75 
feet  wide  having  buildings  twenty  to  thirty-six  stories.  It  is  evident  that,  with  such 
narrow  streets  and  with  absolutely  no  limit  on  the  height  of  buildings,  congestion  of 
traffic  and  passengers  is  inevitable  and  that  no  device  that  can  be  adopted  and  no 
public  regulation,  however  drastic,  will  be  effective  in  preventing  waste  of  time  if  the 
buildings  are  permitted  to  be  constructed  to  unlimited  heights. 

The  Royal  Commission  on  London  Traffic  suggest  in  their  report  that  new  or 
widened  streets  should  be  divided  into  five  classes : 

Main    avenues     140  feet  wide. 

First-class  arterial  streets 100  feet  wide. 

Second-class    streets 80  feet  wide. 

Third-class   streets 60  feet  wide. 

Fourth-class    streets 40-60  feet  wide. 

This  recommendation  is  made  for  cities  where  there  is  a  cubage  or  volume  limit 
because  a  limit  on  the  height  of  buildings. 

Most  of  the  streets  in  Manhattan,  except  below  Chambers  St.,  are  from  60  to 
75  feet  wide  except  the  avenues.  Grand  St.,  14th  St.,  23d  St.,  34th  St.,  42d  St.,  116th  st. 
and  125th  st.,  which  are  about  100  feet. 

While  wide  parkways  are  feasible  in  some  districts,  the  cost  of  wide  streets  is 
relatively  very  great. 

In  order  to  reduce  the  rent,  streets  in  garden  cities  and  smaller  towns  abroad  are 
made  as  narrow  as  18  to  37  feet,  usually  with  the  requirement  that  houses  shall  be  set 
back  a  few  feet  from  the  lot  line,  15  to  20  feet  ordinarily,  so  that  the  street  can 
subsequently  be  widened  without  undue  expense.  This  open  space  in  front  is,  of 
course,  included  in  the  proportion  of  the  lot  area  not  occupied.  These  narrower  streets 
reduce  the  rent  from  2  to  8  per  cent.,  according  to  the  material  of  which  the  street  is 
made. 

Restrictions  on  Volume  or  Cubage — Mayor  McClellan's  Building  Code  Revision 
Commission  recommended  that,  while  no  restrictions  be  placed  upon  the  height  of 
buildings,  that  the  volume  should  be  restricted,  so  that  the  volume  of  any  building 
should  not  be  greater  than  174  times  the  area  of  the  lot;  this  would  mean  that  if 
each  story  were  14  feet  high  the  building  would  be  limited  to  12,  and  if  each  story 
were  12  feet  high  the  building  would  be  limited  to  14  stories  flat,  providing  the  total 
area  of  the  lot  were  covered.  In  point  of  fact,  however,  the  volume  or  cubage  of  the 
German-American  Insurance  Companj^  Building,  instead  of  being  174  times  the  area 
of  the  lot,  is  254  times  the  area  of  the  lot,  and  the  City  Investing  Building  in  one 
part  is  313  times  the  area  of  the  lot,  and  in  another  section  298  times  the  area  of  the 
lot,  while  many  other  buildings  have  a  cubage  from  one-third  to  one-half  in  excess 
of  the  proposed  limit. 

One  of  the  important  measures  of  the  large  amount  of  drayage  and  congestion  of 
the  traffic  is  the  record  of  freight  handled  at  the  terminals  of  the  railroads.    Thus  the 


60 

N.  Y.,  N.  H.  &  H.  R.  R.  report  that  the  total  net  tonnage  brought  to  New  York  City 
by  this  company  and  the  New  England  Navigation  Company  during  1909  was  1,417,544 
net  tons,  of  which  the  N.  Y.,  N.  H.  &  H.  R.  R.  Co.  brought  to  the  Harlem  River  local 
and  to  piers  44  and  45,  East  River,  659,234  tons,  while  103,911  tons  were  brought  to  Pier 
11,  North  River,  and  292.990  to  Piers  18  and  19,  North  River.  Similarly  1,379,781  net 
tons  were  forwarded  from  these  stations  in  about  the  same  proportion.  The  Erie  Rail- 
road report  that  they  received  at  their  Duane  street  station  for  the  year  ending  June  30, 
1910,  295,159  tons  and  forwarded  from  this  station  182,803  tons,  and  from  Pier  7,  East 
River,  they  forwarded  58,386  tons  and  received  34,177  tons. 

What  Unlimited  Volume  or  Building  Would  Mean  in  Lower  Manhattan — The 
Committee  have  also  compiled  data  showing  the  effect  upon  the  street  traffic  of  lower 
Manhattan  of  building  the  island  up  to  a  certain  height.  In  1908  they  found  that 
there  was  available  for  rent  in  the  available  area  of  Manhattan,  below  Chambers 
St.,  7,422,000  sfjuare  feet  of  land,  and  that,  if  a  reasonable  factor  of  rentability  were 
taken  for  the  buildings  of  various  heights  in  this  important  section  of  Manhattan 
below  Chambers  St..  that  15-story  buildings  would  give  a  net  floor  space  available 
for  renting,  of  72,350,000  square  feet,  while,  if  the  districts  were  improved 
by  25-story  buildings,  it  would  provide  a  net  floor  space  of  111,300,000  square 
feet.  It  is  very  seldom  that  more  than  110  square  feet  of  floor  space,  even  in  the 
most  expensive  and  best  arranged  and  equipped  offices  is  provided  for  every  occupant, 
and  manifestly  the  improvement  of  the  land  available  below  Chambers  st.  by  such 
height  of  buildings  from  15  to  25  stories  would  mean  an  absolutely  impossible  burden 
upon  the  narrow  streets  of  this  section,  which  are  entirely  inadequate  at  present  for 
the  traffic  which  is  forced  through  them,  since  a  flat  level  of  25  stories  would  furnish 
accommodations  for  about  1,012.000  persons. 

Cost  of  Lack  of  City  Planning — The  appended  table  of  typical  costs  of  widening 
streets  shows  that  the  delay  to  make  such  widening  which  is  included  in  a  city  plan 
is  a  very  serious  financial  one;  thus  the  net  cost  of  widening  Delancey  St..  includ- 
ing Commissioners'  fees,  and  condemnation  awards,  amounted  to  $8,490,662.36.  This 
property  was  acquired  from  1899  to  1906  inclusive,  and  represented  about  one-tenth  of 
the  total  City  Budget  for  1899.  The  exact  cost  to  the  City  of  a  lack  of  a  city  plan 
is  extremely  difficult  to  estimate,  since  there  are  many  factors  entering  into  it,  among 
others  the  fact  that  exorbitant  prices  have  been  charged  for  the  property  when  it  has 
been  known  that  it  is  to  be  used  by  the  City,  while  also  the  interest  charges  due  to  the 
City's  failure  to  pay  as  it  goes  along,  with  the  excessive  fees  paid  Condemnation 
Commissioners  and  other  items  have  swollen  the  cost  so  that  an  absolutely  accurate 
comparison  is  not  feasible.  On  the  other  hand,  the  broad  fact  remains  that  the  City 
is  in  the  habit  of  paying  anywhere  from  two  to  five  times  as  much  for  property  a 
few  years  after  the  need  for  the  improvement  is  recognized  as  it  would  have  to 
pay  if  it  acquired  it  when  the  need  for  it  is  first  recognized. 

The  appended  table,  prepared  by  Mr.  Nelson  P.  Lewis,  Chief  Engineer  of  the 
Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  on  the  cost  of  making  the  improvements 
suggested  by  the  Mayor's  City  Improvement  Commission,  is  most  significant.  In  1907 
he  estimates  the  total  cost  of  these  few  improvements  were  $86,808,000,  without  any 
provision  for  anything  in  the  Boroughs  of  Queens  and  Richmond.  The  land  values, 
however,  have  been  increased  since  that  time  so  that  they  are  at  present  from  5  to 
15  per  cent,  or  more,  higher  than  the  amounts  given  and  the  total  cost  will  be 
approximately  $100,000,000,  without  including  anything  in  the  two  Boroughs  of  Queens 
and  Richmond. 

The  table  submitted  also  by  the  Committee  shows  the  cost  of  street  widening  from 
1905  to  1906  inclusive,  total,  was  over  $25,000,000.  The  mere  fact  that  over  one-half 
of  this  amount  is  assessed  upon  the  property  benefited  does  not  in  any  way  affect 
the  argument  for  early  acquisition  of  land  by  the  City  as  the  City  has  paid  and  will 
continue  to  pay  enormous  amounts  for  its  failure  to  make  a  reasonable  plan  for  the 
City  as  a  whole  and  to  require  real  estate  operators  and  developers  conform  to 
such  a  plan  as  is  based  upon  the  needs  of  the  City  as  a  whole  and  not  upon  the 
whims  and  caprices  of  property  developers. 

American  Methods  of  City  Planning — A  further  study  has  been  made  by  the 
Committee  of  the  systems  which  are  adopted  bv  American  cities  during  which  they 
have  communicated  with  engineers  of  large  American  and  Canadian  cities.  The 
methods  adopted  are  submitted  herewith  as  an  appendix  to  the  report,  but  it  will 
be  noted  that  onlv  a  few  of  the  cities  have  the  power  to  comoel  real  estate  dealers 
to  comply  with  the  plans  for  the  city's  development  prepared  by  the  City  Engineer, 
but  every  city  recognizes  that  this  is  necessary  in  order  to  secure  a  normal  develop- 
ment of  the  city  and  to  save  the  city  enormous  expense.  It  is  individuals  and  cor- 
porations that  control  the  development  of  the  city  instead  of  the  authorities  elected 
to  do  so. 


6! 

Foreign  Methods  of  City  Planning — In  direct  contrast  to  the  American  in- 
dividualistic methods  of  development  of  cities  is  the  method  of  Continental  and 
British  cities  in  which,  as  \our  Committee  have  indicated  in  their  appended  report  on 
the  subject,  the  city  authorities  themselves  determine  the  plans  for  the  city. 

Your  Committee  would  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  most  significant  and 
distinguishing  feature  of  foreign  city  planning  is  the  control  by  the  city  over  develop- 
ments and  the  districting  of  the  city  into  distinctive  parts  by  the  creation  of  "zones." 
Each  zone  has  its  individual  building  code  which  applies  to  every  kind  of  building 
since  distinction  is  not  made  in  most  foreign  countries  between  the  Building  Code 
as  applying  to  tenements,  and  office  or  factory  buildings. 

The  English  Town  Planning  Act  is  similar  in  its  purport  and  gives  wide  dis- 
cretionary power  to  the  municipal  authorities,  subject,  however,  to  review  by  the 
Local  Government  Board.  In  both  English  and  other  Continental  town  planning, 
however,  the  right  of  the  city  to  determine  absolutely  the  number  of  cottages  is 
recognized  and  the  evil  conditions  of  congestion  which  have  occurred  in  the  centre 
of  the  city  are  prevented  by  the  law,  which  determines  absolutely  the  conditions  of 
the  newer  sections  of  the  city.  This  is  necessarily  a  rough  and  ready  justice,  since 
land  speculators  in  foreign  cities,  as  well  as  in  American  cities,  anticipate  the  com- 
munity's need  and  speculate  vigorously  in  selected  tracts,  even  in  the  outlying  districts 
of  the  city.  The  fact,  however,  that  real  estate  operators  speculate  in  land  is  not 
regarded  in  foreign  countries  as  any  reason  why  the  Government  should  fail  to 
enforce  healthy  conditions  in  those  parts  of  the  city  where  the  general  enforcement 
of  such  conditions  is  perfectly  just  and  fair. 

The  data  submitted  by  the  Committee  shows  also  that  only  about  four-fifths  of 
the  Borough  of  The  Bronx  has  been  finally  mapped,  less  than  one-fourth  of  Queens, 
and  less  than  one-fifteenth  of  Richmond,  while  only  one-half  of  Brooklyn  remains 
to  be  finally  mapped. 

They  therefore,  as  the  result  of  study  of  these  conditions,  submit  the  following 
recommendations  : 

Recommend.^tions  of  the  Committee  on  Streets  .\nd  Highways  of  the  New  York 
City   Commission   on   Congestion   of   Population. 

The  Committee  in  following  the  suggestions  which  have  been  made  by  those 
who  have  appeared  before  the  Committee  and  as  a  result  of  their  own  study  of 
the  problem  make  the  following  recommendations,  and  ask  that  the  Committee  on 
Legislation  be  instructed  to  draft  legislation  providing  for  the  measures  suggested  in 
these  recommendations,  with  the  exception  of  the  first  recommendation,  which  should 
be  made  directly  to  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  and  Board  of  Alder- 
men. 

First :  The  Committee  recommend  the  immediate  preparation  of  a  comprehensive 
plan  for  the  development  of  New  York  City,  as  is  now  contemplated  by  the  Board 
of  Estimate  and  Apportionment.  In  the  judgment  of  the  Committee  such  a  plan 
must  be  made  by  a  central  authority  of  the  City,  and  they  feel  that  the  Board  of 
Estimate  and  Apportionment  Engineers  should  have  the  chief  part  in  preparing 
such  a  plan,  together  with  such  experts  as  are  selected  by  the  Board  of  Estimate  and 
Apportionment.  The  figures  submitted  by  the  Committee  show  that  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  boroughs  of  Queens  and  Richmond  are  not  yet  mapped,  so  that 
there  is  adequate  opportunity  to  make  such  a  plan  for  the  future  of  these  Boroughs. 
The  Committee  have  not  had  the  funds  to  make  such  plans  in  detail,  but  recognize 
that  it  must  be  made  immediately,  and  that  such  a  plan  should  be  mandatory  upon 
the  City.  The  figures  attached  show  some  of  the  costs  to  the  City  from  the  absence 
of  such  a  plan.  The  main  points  which  should  be  provided  for  in  the  City  plan 
are : 

(A)  The  restriction  of  the  heights  of  buildings  in  certain  districts. 

(B)  The  restriction  of  factories  to  certain  districts. 

(C)  The  provision  for  transit  lines  and  means  of  carrying  freight  upon  the 
basis  of  such  a  districting  of  the  City. 

(D)  The  determination  of  the  main  lines  of  streets  and  secondary  streets  as 
suggested  by  Mr.  Nelson  P.  Lewis,  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Board  of  Estimate. 

(E)  Provision  for  sewers  and  sewage  disposal  and  substructures  for  pipes. 

(F)  Provision  of  adequate  sites  for  parks  and  playground  and  recreation  centres 
and  Municipal  buildings  of  various  sorts. 

(G)  Acquisition    of    adequate    land    by   the    City. 

The  Committee  wish,  however,  emphatically  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that 
while  such  a  city  plan  is  essential  for  the  proper  development  of  the  City,  it  in  itself 
is  not  sufficient  to  prevent  congestion  of  population  and  room  overcrowding,  and 
might,  under  certain  proceedure,  aggravate  the  conditions  with  which  the  Commission 


62 

have  been  dealing,  unless  such  plans  are  made  with  due  regard  to  securing  adequate 
cheap  land  for  houses  for  wage  earners,  and  unless  steps  are  taken  to  ensure  that  the 
increase  in  the  land  values  due  to  the  community  action  shall  be  secured  by  the  City. 
Even  before,  however,  such  a  city  plan  is  defmitely  prepared  your  Committee  feel 
that  several  steps  should  be  undertaken  at  once,  as  follows : 

Second :  The  Committee  recognize  that  the  restriction  of  the  height  of  buildings 
is  essential,  since  the  cost  of  widening  the  narrow  streets  of  the  City,  especially 
lower  Manhattan,  is  practically  prohibitive,  and  there  is  no  economic  or  business 
necessity  for  increasing  the  height  of  buildings  in  many  sections  of  lower  Manhat- 
tan, and  recommend  that  in  lower  Manhattan  buildings  should  not  exceed  a  cubage  of 
174  times  the  area  of  the  site;  in  upper  Manhattan  and  lower  Bronx,  the  western 
part  of  Brooklyn,  of  125  times  the  area  of  the  site;  in  the  rest  of  New  York  of 
75  times  the  area  of  the  site. 

Third :  The  Committee  recommend  that  the  parkways  should  be  at  least  150  feet 
ivide,  since  this  seems  to  be  the  minimum  width  feasible  for  roadways  of  this  im- 
portance. 

Fourth :  The  Committee  recommend  that  very  cheap  land  in  outlying  districts 
of  the  City  be  developed  with  homes  for  wage  earners,  and  that  narrow  streets, 
even  30  feet  wide,  be  permitted,  in  every  case  with  the  sanction  of  the  Board  of 
Estimate  and  Apportionment,  since  the  cost  of  making  and  maintaining  wider  streets 
is  a  very  serious  item  in  the  rent,  and  the  narrow  streets  mean  a  saving  of  from  2  to 
8  per  cent,  in  the  rent  of  homes.  In  view  of  the  fact,  however,  that  the  development 
of  the  City  may  require  wider  streets  later,  they  recommend  that  legislation  be  secured 
by  which  the  City  may  require  that  on  all  streets  under  40  feet  in  width,  the  houses 
shall  be  set  back  from  the  curb  line  at  least  10  feet,  or  that  the  roadwav  of  roads 
in  such  districts  should  be  very  narrow  and  the  street  courts  very  wide,  which 
would  permit  later  widening  of  the  streets  to  at  least  40  to  60  feet,  and  provided 
that  the  lots  be  of  such  depth  that  when  streets  are  widened  by  taking  off  the  front 
garden  or  yard  they  will  still  be  about  100  feet  -deep.  They  recommend,  however, 
that  at  least  every  third  street  should  be  50  feet  wide,  and  that  there  should  be  streets 
not  less  than  2,000  feet  apart,  at  least  75  feet  wide. 

Fifth :  The  Committee  recommend  that  legislation  should  be  passed  forbidding 
any  property  owner  to  transfer  his  property  unless  he  has  filed  with  the  Board  of 
Estimate  and  Apportionment,  prior  to  sale,  a  map  showing  the  subdivision  of  the 
property,  and  showing  that  it  has  been  approved  and  accepted  by  the  City,  provided 
that  such  approval  must  be  given  or  changes  recommended  by  the  city  authorities 
within  six  months  of  the  time  the  plans  are  submitted  to  them. 

Sixth :  The  Committee  recommend  that  no  development  shall  be  approved  by 
the  City  unless  a  map  showing  such  development  shall  be  filed  and  accepted  by  the 
City  as  in  conformity  with  the  plans  for  the  development  of  the  district,  provided 
that  such  approval  must  be  given  or  changes  recommended  by  the  city  authorities 
within  six  months  of  the  time  the  plan  of  the  development  is  submitted  to  them. 

Seventh :  The  Committee  recommend  that  the  City  should  immediately  acquire 
as  much  land  as  will  be  necessary  for  public  purposes  for  the  proper  development  of 
the  City. 

Eighth :  The  Committee  recommend  that  legislation  be  secured  providing  for 
the  arcading  of  narrow  streets  through  setting  back  the  first  story  where  necessary, 
and  providing  adequate  foot-ways  for  passengers.  They  are  convinced  that  it  is  an 
unjustifiable  expenditure  of  the  City's  money  to  acquire  title  to  expensive  land  along 
these  narrow  streets,  since  it  involves  an  excessive  price  for  the  land  and  the  con- 
struction of  higher  buildings  on  such  land  will  nullify  the  values  increasing  from 
the  slight  widening  of  the  streets.  Where  necessary  the  City  should  be  permitted  to 
allow  pillars  as  support  of  buildings  above  the  first  story,  and  legislation  to  enable 
this   should  be   secured. 

Ninth :  The  Committee  recommend  that  encroachments  on  narrow  streets  should 
be  prohibited,  and  that  where  it  is  impossible  or  impracticable  to  remove  such  en- 
croachments immediately,  that  the  owners  of  the  property  should  be  charged  rental 
for  the  public  land  used  with  a  provision  that  such  use  of  the  land  should  be  only 
during  the  life  of  the  building,  and  that  no  additional  buildings  will  be  permitted  by 
the  Cit}',  or  for  a  specified  time. 

Tenth :  The  Committee  recommend  that  subways  be  provided  for  passengers 
on  crowded  streets,  such  as  at  the  corner  of  Fulton  st.  and  Broadway,  42d  st.  and 
Fifth  ave.,  such  as  the  Rotherhithe  Tunnel  in  London,  and  a  subway  for  cars  on  42d 
St.  and  Fifth  ave. 

Eleventh :  The  Committee  recommend  the  principle  of  excess  condemnation 
of  land  qualifiedly,  since  they  feel  that  this  is  feasible  in  sections  of  the  City  where 
land  is  cheap,  but  that  it  is  not   feasible  in  crowded   sections  of  the   City,  where   at 


63 

present  values  of  land  arc  cnormdusly  high,  since  in  order  to  make  the  improve- 
ments paj%  it  would  be  necessary  to  have  the  land  increase  in  value  to  such  an  extent 
as  would  make  it  useless  for  safe  and  healthy  living  and  working  conditions. 

.Statement  to  the  Comm-ittee  by  Hon.  Nelson  P.  Lewis,  Chtep   Engineer  of  the 
Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment. 

Mr.  Nelson  P.  Lewis  spoke  to  the  Committee  on  organic  defects  in  the  plan  of 
New  York  Cit}^  He  emphasized  the  opportunities  for  constructive  work  in  the 
different  Boroughs.  The  City  Charter  imposes  upon  each  Borough  President  the 
authority  and  duty  of  preparing  a  plan  for  that  portion  of  his  Borough  which  has 
not  been  completely  mapped.  The  plan  of  that  portion  of  the  Borough  of  Queens 
formerly  known  as  Long  Island  City,  was,  by  the  Charter,  made  a  part  of  the 
map  or  plan  of  The  City  of  New  York,  but  no  other  portions  of  the  Borough,  such 
as  Jamaica,  Flushing  and  the  Rockaways,  were  made  a  part  of  the  city  plan.  The 
tendency  appears  to  be  to  .extend  the  old  Long  Island  City  plan  in  all  directions 
over  the  remainder  of  the  Borough.  It  has  always  appeared  to  me  that  this  was  not 
the  proper  way  to  undertake  the  problem,  but  that  the  City  should  first  take  an 
account  of  stock,  as  it  were,  that  is,  that  the  first  step  in  preparing  a  plan  for 
this  great  undeveloped  territory  should  be  to  locate  the  existing  highways,  cor- 
recting their  alignment  and  widening  them  where  necessary,  and  supplying  such  links 
as  might  be  needed  to  make  a  more  or  less  complete  system  of  main  thoroughfares 
which  would  cover  the  entire  Borough,  after  which  title  should  be  acquired  to  the 
land  necessary  to  straighten  and  widen  these  streets.  It  would  then  be  a  compara- 
tively simple  matter  to  fill  in  the  details,  while  at  the  same  time  the  existing  improve- 
ments and  layouts  where  they  are  in  any  way  suitable  could  readily  be  incorporated 
in  the  city  plan  without  unnecessary  destruction  of  improvements  and  the  impair-^ 
ment  of  values.  At  the  same  time  it  would,  in  my  judgment,  be  wise  for  the  City 
to  acquire  in  most,  if  not  all,  of  the  areas  enclosed  by  these  thoroughfares  tracts  of 
land  which  could  be  bought  at  acreage  prices  and  could  be  reserved  for  various 
municipal  purposes,  such  as  small  parks,  sites  for  schools,  libraries,  police  and  fire 
houses,  and  fire  houses,  and  for  all  municipal  purposes.  It  would  be  possible  to 
group  the  subordinate  municipal  buildings  in  an  effective  manner,  and  it  would 
be  very  desirable  if  the  amount  of  land  purchased  were  sufficiently  large  to  permit 
the  City  to  sell  what  is  not  needed,  with  the  probable  result  that  such  sales  would 
realize  enough  to  pay  not  only  the  cost  of  the  original  acquisition  of  these  sites,  but 
also  of  the  buildings  themselves. 

In  reply  to  a  question  from  Professor  Goodnow  as  to  whether  it  would  be  a 
better  plan  to  take  the  matter  out  of  the  Borough  President's  hands  and  put  it  in 
the  hands  of  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  Mr.  Lewis  stated  that  he  was 
not  prepared  to  suggest  any  change  of  jurisdiction,  and  that  it  would  be  manifestly 
improper  for  him  to  do  so.  He  only  intended  to  point  out  policies  in  the  planning 
of  the  new  Boroughs  which  he  believed  would  result  in  a  more  attractive  city  and 
in  great  economy. 

Attention  was  called  to  the  fact  that  in  the  first  Greater  New  York  Charter 
there  was  concentrated  in  the  Board  of  Public  Improvements  this  power  to  com- 
plete the  map  of  the  City,  and  that  almost  no  progress  was  made  during  four  years. 
Mr.  Lewis,  however,  pointed  out  that  under  the  first  Charter  plans  made  by  the 
Board  of  Public  Improvements  had  to  be  submitted  to  and  approved  by  both  branches 
of  the  Municipal  Legislature,  namely,  the  Council  and  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  and 
it  was  this  awkward  proceeding  which  made  it  impossible  to  accomplish  results. 

Mr.  Cantor  asked  whether  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  could 
not  adopt  a  plan  for  the  City.  In  reply,  Mr.  Lewis  stated  that  the  present  Charter 
distinctly  imposes  upon  the  Borough  Presidents  the  duty  of  completing  a  plan 
for  each  Borough,  and  while  these  plans  are  not  official  until  approved  by  the 
Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  it  does  not  appear  that  the  Board  has  any 
power  except  that  of  approval  or  rejection,  and  that  it  is  not  authorized  to  take  the 
initiative  in  planning  new  territory,  although  it  can  do  so  in  changing  plans  already 
adopted. 

One  of  the  great  advantages  of  the  adoption  of  a  plan  at  as  early  a  date  as 
possible  might  be  to  prevent  the  erection  of  buildings  within  the  lines  of  the  pro- 
posed streets,  but  the  courts  in  this  State  appear  to  have  decided  that  the  City 
cannot  prevent  the  owner  of  the  property  within  the  street  lines  from  using  it  in 
any  way  he  sees  fit  until  the  City  shall  itself  have  taken  title  to  the  land,  even  though 
buildings  may  be  erected  within  the  street  lines  for  the  express  purpose  of  selling 
them  to  the  City  for  more  than  they  are  worth. 

In  connection  with  the  question  of  excess  condemnation,  Mr.  Lewis  stated  that 
The    City  of   New  York  has   not   the   power   at   the   present   time   to   acquire   more 


64 

than  the  land  actually  needed  to  physically  carry  out  any  improvement.  With- 
out such  right  it  is  impossible  for  the  City  to  adopt  the  policy  so  successfully  em- 
ployed in  Europe  of  acquiring  all  of  the  parcels,  portions  of  which  are  needed  for 
improvements,  and  selling  the  surplus  land,  recouping  in  this  wray  a  large  portion 
of  the  initial  expense.  The  proportion  of  such  expense  thus  recovered  varies  greatly, 
but  in  one  case  in  the  City  of  London,  namely,  the  acquisition  and  improvement  of 
Northumberland  ave.,  the  city  seems  to  have  made  a  clear  profit  of  some  $200,- 
000.  The  first  steps  are  taken  this  year  to  amend  the  constitution  of  the  State 
of  New  York  so  that  The  City  of  New  York  might  be  given  this  power.  If  this  action 
i.s  confirmed  by  the  Legislature  of  1911,  the  amendment  can  be  submitted  to  the 
people  next  year. 


66 


Record  of  Number  of   People  Entering  or  Leaving 


Buildings — Addresses  and  Date. 


During  the  Day. 
From.       To. 


Number. 


Greatest 

During 

From. 


a.m.  p.m. 

Singer  Bldg.,  149  Broadway,  July  30,  1908..         8.00  2.00 

3.15  o.OO 
The  Equitable  Bldg.,  120  Broadway,  July  30, 

1908    8.00  6.00 

Trust  Co.  of  America,  41  Wall  St.,  July  31,        7.45  2.45 

1908   3.45  6.00 

Bowling  Green  Bldg.,  11  Broadway,  July  31, 

1908    - 8.00  6.00 

• 
Mutual  Life  Building,  32  Nas.sau  St.,  Aug. 

1,   1908   8.00  2.00 

Silversmiths  Bldg.,  13  Maiden  Lane,  Aug.  1, 

1908    8.00        2.00 

Broadway-Maiden  Lane  Bldg.,  170  Broad- 
way. Aug.  3.  1908  8.30        6.00 

National  Bank  of  Commerce,  32  Nassau  St., 

Aug.  3,  1908   8.30        6.00 


p.m. 

11.027 

3.15 

10,072 
18,795 

2.00 

l.CO 

13,861 

1.00 

7,928 

a.m. 

11.00 

6,903 

noon. 
12.30 

12,537 

p.m. 
1.00 

15,216 

3.00 

tn 


Office  Buildings  in  Lower  Manhattan. 


Number, 
the  Day. 
To. 

Number. 

Greatest 

15 

From. 

Number, 
min. 
To. 

Number. 

.Average 
per  min., 
15  min. 

Average 
per 
day. 

Width 
of  Side- 
walk. 

p.m. 
4.15 

2,580 

p.m. 

3.-1-=; 

p.m. 
4.00 

827 

55 

19 

20 

3.00 

1,708 

4.00 

4.15 

517 

35 

17 

17/2 

l.CO 

1.15 

1,022 

68 

34 

20 

2.00 

1,763 

11.00 

11.15 

681 

45 

26 

15 

noon. 
12.00 

1,599 

noon. 
12.30 

12.45 

770 

51 

22 

10 

p.m. 
1.30 

1,140 

a.m. 
11.30 

a.m. 
11.45 

520 

35 

19 

10 

p.m. 
2.00 

1,878 

noon. 
12.45 

noon. 
1.00 

556 

37 

22 

20 

4.00 

2,973 

3.15 

3.30 

827 

55 

27 

10 

68 

Estimated  Cost  of  Carrying  Out  Improvements  and  Changes  in"  the  City  Plan 
Recommended  by  the  Mayor's  City  Improvement  Commission. 

Report  by  Mr.  Nelson  P.  Lewis,  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Board  of  Estimate  and 
Apportionment,  to  that  body  September  26,  1907  : 

Manhattan. 
New   street   extending   from   the   Manhattan   terminal    of  the   Man- 
hattan Bridge  at  the  Bowery  and  Canal  st.  to  the  southerly  end 

of  6th  ave $10,815,000  00 

Extension  of    Delancey  St.,   from  Lafayette  to    Broadway 1.668,000  00 

Extension  of  Madison  ave.  from  23d  st.  to  4th  ave.,  at  7th  st 5,000,000  00 

Widening  60th   St.,    between   3d   and   5th   aves.,   by   taking   one-half 

block  on  the  southerly  side  of  the  street 11,130,000  00 

New  diagonal  street,  from  57th  st.  and  3d  ave.  to  59th  st.  and  2d 

ave 1,185,000  00 

Extension  of  Riverside  Drive  southerly  to  West  End  ave.  and  69th  st.  1,595,000  00 

New  diagonal  street,  from  7th  ave.  and  West  142d  st.  to  Walton  ave., 

in  the  Borough  of  The  Bronx 1,445,000  00 

Widening  W.  181st  St.,  from  Amsterdam  ave.  to  Wadsworth  ave 765,000  00 

.Addition  to  park  area  east  of  Riverside  Drive 5,625,000  00 

Widening  Dyckman  St.,  from  200  feet  east  of  Naegle  ave.  to  B'way  1,725,000  00 

Acquiring  the  property  west  of  Riverside  Drive,  north  of  W.  155th  St., 
including  the  northerlv  end  of  Fort  Washington  Hill  and  Inwood 
Hill,    as    a    public    park 7,675,000  00 

Total    $48,628,000  00 

Brooklyn. 

Bridge  st.  extension  from  Fulton  st.  to  4th  ave $3,730,000  00 

Widening  of  Ashland  place 1,460,000  00 

Extension  of  Hamilton  ave.,  from  3d  to  4th  aves 180,000  00 

Extension  of  Flatbush  ave.  to  Rockaway  Inlet 250,000  00 

New  thoroughfare    from  4th    and   Flatbush  aves.   to   Greenpoint   at 

Kingsland  ave 13,950,000  00 

New  thoroughfare  from  So.  5th  st.  and  Williamsburgh  Bridge  Plaza 
to  Ralph  ave.  and  Remsen  ave.,  omitting  new  street  between  Sum- 
ner ave.  and  Lewis  ave 5,920,000  00 

Total     $25,490,000  00 

The  Bronx. 
Park  at  the  northeasterly  end  of  the  Hudson  Memorial  Viaduct  and 

the    Hudson    River    $3,160,000  00 

Park  between  Sedgwick  and  Cedar  aves.  and  the  New  York  Central 

and  Hudson  River  Railroad  Company's  tracks 2,230,000  00 

Total    $5,390,000  Oa 

"Summarizing  the  above  estimates  of  cost  of  acquiring  property  for  the  im- 
provements recommended  for  the  Boroughs  of  Manhattan,  Brooklyn  and  The  Bronx, 
we  tind  them  to  be  as  follows : 

Manhattan    $48,628,000  00 

Brooklyn     25,490,000  CO 

The  Bronx  5,390,000  00 

Total    $79,508,000  00 

As  already  stated,  the  plan  for  relieving  the  situation  at  the  lower  end  of  6th  and 
7th  aves.  has  not  been  included  in  this  estimate,  but  a  separate  report  has  been  pre- 
pared giving  the  estimated  value  of  the  land  required  as  $7,300,000.  If  this  were  added 
to  the  above  total,  it  would  become  $86,808,000  with  no  provision  for  anything  in  the 
Boroughs  of  Queens  and  Richmond. 

The  land  values  have  been  increasing  so  that  they  are  at  present  from  5  per  cent, 
to  15  per  cent,  or  over,  higher  than  the  amounts  given. 


69 

Summary  of  Replies  by  Borough  Presidents  to  Information  Requested  by  the 
New  York  City  Commission  on  Congestion  of  Population. 

1st.     What  proportion  of  the  Borough  is  provided  with  sewerage  disposal  sewers? 

Manhattan — Entire  Borough,  except  small  portion  in  the  extreme  northerly  end 
where  streets  are  not  laid  and  few  odd  blocks. 

The   Bronx — 

Brooklyn — Fifty-live  per  cent. 

Queens — 17.4  per  cent.  10,065  acres. 

Richmond — Twenty  per  cent. 

2d.  In  your  judgment  has  the  lack  of  such  sewers  prevented  the  construction 
of  tenements  and  other  dwellings? 

Manhattan — No. 

The  Bronx — 

Brooklyn — Undoubtedly  along  the  southeasterly  portion  of  the  Borough  generally. 

Queens — Yes.  Particularly  in  Blissville  section  of  Long  Island  City  and  Wood- 
haven. 

Richmond — Building  develoj)ment  quite  rapidly  follows  completion  of  sewers. 
Scarcely  in  position  to  reply  conclusively,  as  efforts  have  been  largely  to  secure  con- 
struction of  adequate  sewers  primarily  in  districts  already  well  built  upon,  but  tind 
considerable  opposition  to  proposals  for  building  sewers  extensively  in  localities 
scantily  developed.  In  many  cases  assessed  land  values  before  development  will  not 
permit   sewer   construction   under   present   laws. 

(a)    Would   you   suggest   any   methods   of   expediting  the    provision   of    sewers? 

Manhattan — As  sewers  are  built  for  sanitary  reasons,  and  as  no  building  is  al- 
lowed to  be  occupied  until  it  has  adequate  sewerage,  it  would  seem  that  the  President 
of  the  Borough  might  be  clothed  with  the  same  authority  that  the  Commissioner  of 
Public  Works  had  under  the  old  regime,  who  was  allowed  to  complete  the  sewerage 
system  throughout  the  city  and  to  alter  and  improve  existing  sewers  as  necessity  re- 
quired. No  petition  was  necessar}',  and  the  only  requirement  was  that  maps,  showing 
the  proposed  work,  should  be  filed  before  letting  contract  for  same. 

Bronx — Entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  property  owners.  The  only  way  in  which 
this  matter  can  be  expedited  would  be  to  urge  the  property  owners  to  petition  for 
the  construction. 

Brooklyn — Provide  the   means  of   opening  the   streets   expeditiously. 

Queens — Construction  of  sewers  could  be  expedited  if  Board  of  Estimate  and 
Apportionment  would  recommend  the  approval  of  sewerage  systems  in  isolated  sec- 
tions, these  systems  to  be  finally  incorporated,  perhaps  with  some  modifications,  with 
the  scheme  for  the  whole  Borough,  or  by  having  them  approve  a  system  just  showing 
the  location,  size,  and  grade  of  the  outlet  sewer,  the  sewers  for  the  separate  localities 
to  be  designed  as  the  need  develops. 

Richmond 

3.  Do  you  consider  it  wise  to  permit  streets  to  be  paved  before  sewers  for 
sewerage    disposal    are    constructed    or    should    such    sewers    be    constructed    first? 

Manhattan — Unwise  to  pave  streets  before  sewers  are  built. 

The  Bronx — It  is  the  policy  of  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  not  to 
pave  streets  until  all  subsurface  structures  are  in  place. 

Brooklyn — Sewers  first. 

Queens — Depends  upon  local  conditions.  In  a  district  where  the  sewers  can  be 
constructed  without  entailing  much  hardship  on  account  of  assessment,  or  where  rapid 
development  would  follow  the  construction  of  a  sewer,  the  sewer  should  be  built 
before  paving  the  street.  In  a  district  in  which  the  immediate  construction  of  a 
sewer  is  not  necessar}^  or  on  a  street  which  carries  or  would  carry,  if  improved,  a 
large  amount  of  traffic,  it  would  be  much  better  to  put  in  some  pavement  which  would 
be  easily  prepared  before  the  sewer  is  constructed. 

Richmond — In  considering  a  new  locality  solely,  it  would  certainly  be  desirable  to 
build  the  permanent  sewers  before  paving  the  roadways,  but,  in  many  portions  of 
Richmond,  particularly  within  the  old  incorporated  village,  small  sewers  existed,  rend- 
ering a  certain  amount  of  service,  not  adequate,  but  suiTicient  for  a  time ;  consequently 
it  has  seemed  desirable  to  proceed  with  the  paving  of  permanent  pavements,  and  we 
believe  the  value  to  the  public  has  been  secured  by  several  years  of  use  before  the 
construction  of  better  and  more  modern  sewers  became  imperative. 

4th.  Would  you  consider  it  feasible  to  require  that  trees  should  be  planted  at 
the  time  streets  are  paved,  the  cost  thereof  to  be  assessed  with  the  cost  of  streets,  on 
the  property  benefited? 

Manhattan — Should  imagine  that  tree  planting  is  only  feasible  in  the  resident 
streets,  and  that  the  growth  of  trees  when   the   surface  of  the   ground   is   impervious, 


70 

being  caused  by  pavement  and  flagging,  could  not  be  counted  on  without  great  care 
and  attention. 

The  Bronx — Entirely  practicable  to  plant  trees  even  at  the  time  that  streets  are 
regulated  and  graded,  which  is  frequently  a  number  of  years  before  they  are  paved. 
Do  not  know  if  this  cost  could  be  legally  assessed  on  property  benefited — probably  not. 

Brooklyn — 

Queens — Trees  should  be  planted  as  soon  as  possible  when  the  street  is  graded, 
or  if  the  cut  or  till  of  the  street  is  very  slight  before  grading. 

Richmond— Should  be  planted  by  the  Department  of  Parks,  and  be  maintained 
by  it  without  local  assessment.  If  property  owners  desire  to  plant  trees  in  advance  of 
the  official  establishment  of  grades  such  should  be  optional,  but  no  complaint  should 
be  made  at  their  loss  or  the  necessity  of  changing  them  when  a  full  street  improve- 
ment became  necessary. 

What  Would  Be  the   Floor   Space  Available  in   Manhattan    Below    Chambers   Street 
If  All  the  Available  Area  Would  Be  Built  Up  With  15,  20  and  25-Story  Buildings? 

Note. — The  Building  Code  requires  10  per  cent,  vacant  on  street  lots.  As  the 
corner  lots  represent  only  a  srnall  part  of  the  total  (not  over  5  per  cent.),  this  is 
simplified  by  the  more  conservative  assumption  that  all  lots  require  20  per  cent,  vacant. 

Deducting  from  grand  total  area  :  Streets,  parks,  cemeteries,  open  spaces,  churches 
and  Brooklyn  Bridge  piers,  of  a  total  of  7,610,555  square  feet,  we  find  an  available 
gross  area  of  9,275,000  square  feet.  Deducting  further  20  per  cent.,  1,853,000  square 
feet,  we  find  : 

Available  net   area •. .' 7,420,000  square  feet. 

Assuming  a   factor  of   rentability  of  0.65     for   15-story  building. 

Assuming  a   factor  of  rentability  of  0.625  for  20-story  building. 

Assuming  a  factor  of  rentability  of  0.60     for  25-story  building. 

We  find  available  floor  space : 

If  15-story  buildings  were  constructed 72.350,000  square  feet. 

If  20-story  buildings  were  constructed 92,750,000  square  feet. 

I  f  25-story  buildings  were  constructed 1 1 1,300,000  square  feet 

(Signed)   WM.  A.  RUSSEL. 
Rentable  Store  Floor  Space  Below  Chambers  Street. 

Square  Feet. 

Below  Cortlandt  street,  east  of   Broadway 1,760.999 

Below  Cortlandt  street  and  Maiden  lane,  west  of  Broadway 3,108,020 

Between  Cortlandt  and  Chambers  streets,  east  of  Broadway 3,444,881 

Between  Maiden  lane  and  New  Chambers  street 4,768,012 

Grand  total    13,081,912 

Number  of   Square   Feet  of   Rentable    Office    Floor   Space    Below    Chambers    Street, 

July   ],    1908. 

In  Buildings  Per 

of  Stories.  Cent. 

1  to    6  3,176,410       square  ft.,  assuming  75     per  cent,  of  floor  space  rentable,  22.305 

7  to  10  2,807,082.80  square  ft.,  assuming  70     per  cent,  of  floor  space  rentable,  19.711 

11  to  15  3,229,582.35  square  ft.,  assuming  65     per  cent,  of  floor  space  rentable,  22.678 

16  to  20  1,688,862.25  square  ft.,  assuming  62.5  per  cent,  of  floor  space  rentable,  11.859 

Over  20  3,338,568       square  ft.,  assuming  60     per  cent,  of  floor  space  rentable,  23.444 

14.240.505.40 lOO.CO 

Office  space  was  provided  for  129,459.14  tenants  (allowing  110  square  feet  for 
each  occupant)   in  this  district. 

Number  of  Square  Feet  of  Rentable  Factory  Floor  Space  Below   Chambers   Street, 

July,  1908. 

In  Stories.  Cent. 

1  to    6    6,382,995        square  ft.,  assuming  90  per  cent,  of  entire  floor  space,  79..54 

7  to  10     1,133.321.25  square  ft.,  assuming  85  per  cent,  of  entire  floor  space,  14.12 

11  to  15       512.228.50  square   ft.,  assuming  80  per  cent,  of  entire  floor  space,     6.39 

8.028..S44.75  100  00 


71 


286,733.75   persons,   for  whom   floor   space   is  provided   in    factories,   allowing  28 
square  feet  for  each  occupant. 

1908  Classification   of    Manhattan    Below   Chambers   St. 

Square  Feet.  Per  Cent. 

1.  Offices  2,509,214  R9 

2.  Public  buildings 373,995  2.2 

3.  Factories    1,858,954  11 

4.  Stores   3,485,702  20.7 

5.  Tenements     341,602  2 

6.  Churches    36,384  0.2 

7.  Brooklyn  Bridge  piers   126,609  0.8 

8.  Miscellaneous  buildings   93,071  0.5 

Built    upon    8,825,531  52.3 

9.  \'acant  lots   88,908  0.5 

10.  Courts  and  yards   523,505  3.1 

11.  Cemeteries 137.903  0.8 

12.  Parks    1,284,014  7.6 

13.  Open    spaces    18.744  0.1 

14.  Streets    6,007,001  35.6 

Not   built   upon    8.062,843  47.7 

Total    area    below    Chambers    st. 16,885,606 100 

Classification    of    Area    Occupied    By    Buildings    in    Section    of    Manhattan    Below 

Chambers   St. 

Square  Feet.         Per  Cent. 

1.  Offices   2,509,214  28^5 

2.  Public  buildings  373,995  4.2 

3.  Factories  1,858.954  21 

4.  Stores    3,485.702  3Q.5 

5.  Tenements    341.602  3.9 

6.  Churches     36,384  0.4 

7.  Brooklyn   Bridge  piers    126,609  1 .4 

8.  Miscellaneous  buildings  93,071  1.1 

Total  buildings,  areas  built  upon 8,825,531  100 

Classification    Area    Not    Occupied    By    Buildings    in    Section    of    Manhattan    Below 

Chambers  St. 

Sauare  Per 

Feet.  Cent. 

9.  Vacant  lots   88.908  1.1  can  be 

built  upon. 

10.  Courts  and  vards   523..505  6.5 

11.  Cemeteries 137.C03  1.7 

12.  Parks    1,284.014  16 

13.  Open  spaces  near  Brooklyn  Bridge 18.744  0.2 

14     Streets    6,007,001  74.5 

Total  area  not  built  upon    8,060.075  100 


72 

REPORT    OF    THE    COMMITTEE    OX    TRANSIT,    DOCKS    AND    FERRIES, 
MR.  GILBERT  ELLIOTT,  CHAIRMAN. 

Many  of  the  speakers  before  the  various  commitees  of  the  Commission,  of  which 
the  members  of  the  Transit  Committee  are  members,  as  well  as  those  before  the 
Committee  on  Transit,  Docks  and  Ferries,  emphasized  the  necessity  of  distributing 
factories  as  a  means  of  distributing  population  and  eliminating  the  cost  of  transit  in 
the  cost  of  production.  The  Committee  recognizes  the  validity  of  these  statements 
and  arguments.  They  appreciate  also  the  fact  that  methods  of  carrying  freight  must 
be  provided. 

The  Comm.ittcc  iiclieves  that  some  of  the  important  points  to  be  observed  in  the 
plans  for  rapid  tran.'^it  to  prevent  congestion  of  population  are  as  follows : 

First:     Transit  lines  must  not  parallel  nearby  already  congested  transit  lines. 

Second  :  Transit  lines  whicii  radiate  bring  into  the  market  more  land  for  the 
same  expense  than  transit  lines  which  are  parallel  and  close  together. 

Third  :  Expensive  transit  lines  are  apt  to  produce  congestion  of  population,  be- 
cause of  the  large  earnings  necessary  to  make  them  pay,  which  stimulates  the  con- 
struction of  large  tenements,  whose  population  inevitably  congests  the  lines  of  transit. 

Fourth  :  Transit  lines  must  be  constructed  simultaneously  in  sufficient  directions 
to  prevent  undue  increases  of  land  values  which  will  follow  if  but  one  line  is  con- 
structed at  a  time,  as,  for  example,  the  Washington  Heights  neighborhood  in  Man- 
hattan, where  the  limited  number  of  lots  near  the  subway  brought  such  high  prices 
that  large  buildings  had  to  be  constructed. 

Fifth  :     Cheap  lines  of  transit  must  be  constructed  in  sparsely  settled  districts. 

Sixth  :  Cheap  lines  of  transit  must  be  constructed  in  the  newer  districts  before 
they  can  be  made  self  sustaining  to  encourage  population  to  move  there.  The  provi- 
sion for  transit  in  New  York  City  has  always  been  from  five  to  ten  years  behind  the 
need,  because  the  City  has  had  no  power  to  compel  the  construction  of  extensions,  and 
the  private  companies  would  not  do  so  until  a  profit  was  assured. 

Methods  Which  Other  American  Cities  Are  Adopting  to  Secure  Extensions  to 

Their  Transit   Lines. 

Under  the  terms  of  the  franchise  granted  the  International  Railway  Company  by 
the  City  of  Bufifalo,  on  December,  1905,  for  Fillmore  avenue,  the  grant  is  made  for 
the  period  of  only  25  years  from  date  of  its  acceptance  unless  extended  for  a  further 
period,  and  does  not  become  operative  until  the  company  files  with  the  City  Clerk  a 
written  acceptance  of  all  the  terms  and  conditions  thereof,  expressly  waiving  any  and 
all  objections  as  to  the  reasonableness  or  legality  of  any  of  the  provisions  of  same 
or  as  to  the  legal  right  or  authority  of  the  city  to  impose  the  same.  At  least  sixty 
days  before  the  expiration  of  the  errant  the  Common  Council  is  required  to  notify 
the  railway  company  whether  the  City  will  take  over  the  railway,  and  arrangements 
are  made  by  which  three  appraisers,  one  to  be  selected  by  the  railway  company,  one 
by  the  City  and  the  third  to  be  selected  by  the  two,  shall  appraise  the  value  of  the 
property,  similar  provisions  being  made  for  the  prices  to  be  paid  by  another  company 
for  the  line  if  the  International  Railway  Company  does  not  wish  to  continue  the 
operation. 

Indianapolis — The  franchise  of  the  Indianapolis  Street  Railway  Company,  ap- 
proved April  8,  1899,  also  provides  that  when  it  appears  to  the  Board  of  Public  Works 
that  the  City,  from  different  causes,  or  the  public  interests  demand  the  extension  of 
any  line  of  tlie  street  railway  already  in  operation  or  the  construction  of  a  new  line 
in  and  upon  any  streets,  alleys,  avenues  or  public  places  of  said  city,  that  the  said 
Board  of  Public  Works  shall  cause  written  notice  to  be  given  to  the  President, 
Sef:retary,  General  Manager  or  Superintendent  of  the  company,  requiring  them  to 
appear  before  the  Board  on  a  certain  day,  to  be  named  in  said  notice,  not  less  than 
five  days  after  the  service  of  such  notice,  and  show  cause  why  the  proposed  extension 
should  not  be  made  or  such  proposed  new  lines  should  not  be  constructed.  This 
notice  has  to  contain  a  description  of  the  streets,  alleys,  etc.,  for  which  the  extension 
is  proposed  to  be  constructed.  If  after  due  hearing  it  appears  to  the  Board  that  the 
public  interest  requires  such  extension  to  l)e  made,  it  is  authorized  to  make  an  order 
requiring  such  extension,  and  in  such  order  shall  fix  the  time  in  which  the  said  exten- 
sion shall  be  made  or  new  lines  shall  be  constructed,  but  the  period  is  so  fixed  that 
it  shall  always  be  of  sufficient  length  to  permit  the  company,  by  the  exercise  of  rea- 
sonable diligence,  to  make  such  extensions  or  construct  such  lines  within  the  time. 
The  written  notice  must  be  given  by  the  Board  of  Public  Works  to  the  company  of 
such  order,  and  should  they  fail  to  make  such  extension  or  construct  such  new  lines 
within  the  time  fixed,  they  must  forfeit  to  the  city  the  sum  of  $50  for  each  day  that 
the  completion  of  such  extension  or  construction  of  such  new  lines  is  delayed  beyond 


73 

the  date  fixed.  This  is  part  of  the  franchise  of  the  Indianapolis  Street  Railway  Com- 
pany, and  it  is  assumed  that  the  company  will  make  a  fair  profit  on  the  extensions. 

Minneapolis — Similar  authority  is  contained  in  the  franchise  of  the  Minneapolis 
Street  Railway  Company,  granted  July  17.  1875,  and  in  case  the  company  fails  or 
neglects  at  any  time  to  keep  in  operation  any  line  or  railway  which  it  may  have  con- 
structed,, then,  upon  reasonable  notice,  the  City  Council  may  forfeit  the  exclusive 
rights  granted,  so  far  as  it  pertains  to  such  neglected  line.  The  City  of  Minneapolis 
has  authority  also  to  require  the  joint  use  of  portions  of  the  track  belonging  to  the 
Minneapolis  Street  Railway  Company  of  any  other  street  railway  company  which 
the  Council  may  charter  under  terms  of  the  ordinance,  to  connect  with  and  jointly 
use  such  portions  of  the  tracks  belonging  to  each,  as  the  convenience  of  the  traveling 
public  may  require. 

Columbus — The  City  of  Columbus  requires  the  Columbus  Street  Railway  Com- 
pany, by  an  ordinance  of  February  6,  1901.  to  expend  during  the  life  of  the  grant 
(25  years)  not  less  than  $1,C00,0C0  in  extensions  and  betterments,  and  they  may  by 
ordinance  require  such  reasonable  extensions  of  such  of  the  lines  operated  by  the 
com.pany  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  efficient  operations  of  the  railway  and  for  the 
convenience  of  the  public  whenever  along  the  line  of  any  such  proposed  extension 
and  between  parallel  lines  400  feet  distant  on  each  side  thereof,  there  shall  be,  if 
such  extension  is  ordered,  not  less  than  150  separate  buildings  used  and  occupied 
as  dwellings  per  mile,  or  in  like  proportion  for  any  less  distance,  although  the  com- 
pany must  not  be  required  to  construct  more  than  one  mile  of  extension  in  one  cal- 
endar year.    The  franchise  rights  expire  at  the  end  of  25  years. 

Chicago- — Extract  from  Chicago  City  Railway  ordinance  of  February  11,  1907: 

"Section  3.  The  said  City  shall  have  the  right,  subject  to  the  limitations  con- 
tained in  this  ordinance,  at  any  time  to  require  the  Company  to  make  extensions  of 
and  additions  to  the  lines  of  street  railways  enumerated  in  said  'Exhibit  A.'  Such 
extensions  and  additions  shall  be  made  under  the  supervision  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
vising Engineers,  as  hereinafter  in  Section  7  provided,  and  the  cost  thereof  shall  be 
determined  as  provided  in  said  section.  The  character  and  quality  of  such  work  shall 
comply  with  the  specifications  set  forth  in  said  'Exhibit  B,'  so  far  as  the  same  may 
be  applicable  thereto. 

"The  Company  shall,  however,  upon  the  order  of  the  City  Council  of  the  City, 
construct,  equip  and  operate  such  extensions  of  its  street  railway  system  in  addition 
to  those  hereinabove  provided  for  as  may  be  required  by  the  City  Council,  subject  to 
the  conditions  and  limitations  contained  in  Section  25  of  this  ordinance." 

The  Committee,  after  a  careful  study  of  the  conditions  of  transit  in  New  York 
City,  including  the  franchise  system,  the  operating  system  and  the  system  of  fares 
and  the  unused  capacity  of  present  facilities,  as  well  as  suggestions  submitted  to 
them  regarding  the  general  lines  of  future  development,  make  the  following  report 
and  recommendations  : 

First:  A  comprehensive  transit  system  is  essential  for  uniform  and  universal 
transfers  and  unified  operation.  The  Committee  do  not  feel  that  it  is  necessary  for 
them  to  go  into  discussion  as  to  the  need  for  a  universal  transfer  between  points 
within  a  comparatively  short  distance.  It  is  perfectly  true  that  the  horrors  of  con- 
gestion of  population  have  been  amply  demonstrated,  that  the  increasing  congestion 
of  population  has  been  deplored,  but  one  of  the  fundamental  causes  of  congestion  of 
population,  many  witnesses  before  the  Transit  Committee  have  emphasized,  is  the 
inability  of  the  people  to  pay  more  than  one  fare.  An  extra  fare  for  the  working 
man  for  three  hundred  (300)  working  days  means  a  net  total  of  $30  per  person.  This 
will  pay.  in  many  sections  of  the  City,  for  an  additional  room  which  the  family  needs 
for  their  living  purposes.  At  present  each  borough  is  practically  a  five-cent  zone, 
but  interborough  travel  is  voluminous  and  will  be  constantly  increasing. 

Second  :  The  subways  and  the  elevated  roads  furnish  the  key  to  an  urban  tran- 
sit system.  The  control  of  these  expensive  links  will,  sooner  or  later,  bring  complete 
control  of  all  street  railway  transit  facilities.  It  appears,  from  a  careful  examination 
of  the  general  transit  situation,  that  the  following  points  are  essential  in  any  ade- 
quate program  for  the  transit  development  in  New  York  City:  (a)  The  existing 
perpetual  franchises  should  be  terminated,  as  opportunity  offers,  some  by  forfeiture, 
where  through  neglect  or  non-compliance  with  the  law  they  should  be  forfeited; 
others  through  condemnation  or  through  purchase  or  negotiation,  substituting  modern 
short  term  or  indeterminate  franchises  for  the  present  franchises,  (b)  Extensions  of 
the  'existing  subway  system  of  the  City  should  be  planned  so  as  to  utilize  to  their 
capacity  the  subways,  bridges  and  elevated  railroads  already  constructed,  and  so  as  to 
bring  the  people  from  the  outlying  portions  directly  into  and  through  the  principal 
business  districts,  with  quick  service,  for  a  single  fare.  The  advantages  of  municipal 
ownership  of  all  transit  lines  to  accomplish  this  is  evident.     It  will  enable  the  City  to 


74 

adapt  the  transit  lines  of  the  entire  City  to  the  purpose  of  transit  lines,  viz.,  to  dis- 
tribute population  through  the  City.  In  order  to  do  this,  lines  must  run  into  districts 
whtre  land  is  cheap,  and  while  some  lines  may  not  pay  a  money  profit  at  first,  they 
will  be  extremely  profitable  from  the  point  of  view  of  conserving  the  general  welfare 
and  prosperity  of  the  citizens  and  in  developing  the  City.  This  is  a  matter  in  which 
the  Lity  as  a  whole  is  deeply  interested. 

Third :  The  Committee  recommends  that  lines  be  extended  at  once  into  the  out- 
lying boroughs  and  especially  radiating  lines,  so  as  to  make  much  land  available  for 
dwellings.  As  has  been  stated  before  the  Committee,  one  transit  line  parallel  and 
near  to  another  congested  line  is  almost  certain  to  produce  congestion  of  population 
under  present  building  laws.  The  Committee,  however,  would  call  attention  to  the 
fact  that  these  lines  into  other  boroughs  need  not  necessarily  be  subways,  which  are 
extremely  expensive,  but  elevated  lines,  suspended,  depressed  or  surface  lines,  all  of 
which  can  be  constructed  for  a  small  part  of  the  cost  of  subways.  When  a  large  in- 
vestment is  put  into  a  transit  line,  the  earnings  of  this  line  must  be  proportionately 
heavy  or  even  a  fair  return  cannot  be  paid  on  the  investment,  and  it  is  much  more 
economical  to  have  several  cheaply  constructed  lines  in  many  directions,  each  carrying 
relatively  few  passengers,  than  to  have  one  expensive  line  carrying  a  mass  of  passen- 
gers, since  the  multiplication  of  lines  tends  to  keep  land  cheap,  an  essential  to  the  pre- 
vention of  congestion. 

Fourth  :  The  Committee  recommends  that  the  City  take  necessary  steps  to  muuce 
more  of  its  population  to  move  to  boroughs  where  there  are  large  amounts  of  vacant 
land  not  now  accessible;  that  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company  be  requested 
to  extend  the  lines  which  it  is  understood  it  is  about  to  project  to  the  Queens  side  of 
the  Queensboro  Bridge  and  through  the  Steinway  Tunnel,  into  several  portions  of 
the  Borough  of  Queens,  and  that  if  this  cannot  be  done  the  franchise  for  the  bridge 
and  tunnel  should  provide  for  the  operation  for  one  fare  of  extensions  to  be  built  into 
the  Borough  of  Queens.  We  believe  that  some  subway  should  be  constructed  as  early 
as  possible  into  the  Borough  of  Richmond,  to  provide  rapid  transit  for  its  extensive 
area,  and  that  pending  the  completion  of  such  a  tunnel,  forty  tickets  should  be  sold 
for  $1  on  the  Municipal  Ferry  to  Richmond,  to  enable  people  of  small  or  moderate 
means  to  live  there.  These  recommendations  we  make  because  of  the  immense  in- 
vestments which  the  City  has  made  in  its  bridges  across  the  East  River  and  the  Harlem 
River  for  the  benefit  of  all  other  boroughs,  and  as  an  essential  means  of  developing 
the  Borough  of  Richmond. 

Fifth :  The  Committee  endorses  the  principle  of  ownership  by  the  City  of  lines 
of  transit,  not  solely  upon  the  relative  merits  of  ownership  by  private  capital  and  by 
the  City,  but  because  transit  is  primarily  a  public  question  and  necessary  to  prevent 
congestion,  and  the  City  can  afford  to  invest  money  in  transit  lines  because  of  the 
great  advantages  to  be  derived  by  the  City,  and  for  the  comfort  and  necessity  of  the 
people. 

Sixth :  The  Committee  believes  that  essential  as  is  the  construction  of  rapid  tran- 
sit to  connect  the  residence  and  the  tenement  sections  with  manufacturing  centres, 
that  transit  and  its  cost  is,  in  spite  of  all  arguments  to  the  contrary,  a  waste  in  the 
cost  of  production  that  can  be,  in  large  measure,  eliminated. 

Seventh:  The  Committee  recommends  that  the  Rapid  Transi  Law  be  so  amended 
as  to  confer  upon  the  Public  Service  Commission  and  the  City  authorities  the  same 
powers  w-ith  respect  to  surface  lines  as  they  now  have  with  respect  to  rapid  transit 
lines. 

Eighth  :  The  Committee  recommends  that,  as  a  means  of  reducing  the  expendi- 
ture for  carfare,  measures  should  be  taken  to  discourage  the  location  of  more  fac- 
tories in  Manhattan,  and  to  encourage  the  distribution  of  factories  now  located  in  that 
borough. 

Ninth :  The  Committee  recommends  that  the  City  develop,  for  factory  purposes, 
the  waterfronts  in  all  of  the  boroughs  which  it  owns  and  is  adapted  for  this  purpose. 

Tenth  :  The  Committee  recommends  restricting  the  height  and  volume  of  build- 
ings. The  Committee  realizes  that  no  transit  system  has  yet  been  devised,  even  in 
cities  more  advantageously  situated  and  without  the  natural  barriers  to  transit 
which  the  rivers  around  Manhattan  constitute,  to  carry  economically  and  efifectively 
the  masse?  of  population  which  live,  or  will  live,  within  a  radius  of  20  miles,  to  work 
in  a  city  like  Manhattan  with  a  flat  level  of  25,  20  and  even  15-story  buildings.  It 
has  been  amply  demonstrated  that  the  low-waged  working  population  cannot  live  in 
Manhattan  in  the  sort  of  houses  which  the  .American  workingman  should  have,  and 
it  is  self-evident  that  to  increase  the  height  of  buildings  in  the  City  by  one  and  two 
stories  a  year,  or  by  the  continuous  construction  of  skyscrapers  of  enormous  volume, 
from  16  to  46  stories  in  height,  will  require  forms  of  transit  which  are  absolutely 
uneconomical,  and  a  waste  of  money,  time  and  strength. 


75 

Eleventh  :  The  Committee  has  given  considerable  attention  to  the  proposition  to 
construct  an  elevated  freight  line  along  the  marginal  \va3'  adjoining  the  Hudson 
River,  with  huge  freight  terminals  and  warehouses,  with  room  for  factories  on  the 
upper  floors.  The  elevated  railway  might  appeal  to  us  if  the  interest  and  the  oper- 
ating expenses  can  be  made  by  the  saving  in  the  handling  of  the  freight.  This  should 
be  carefully  safeguarded,  so  that  the  use  of  these  lines  will  be  open  to  all  railroad 
companies.  We  do  not  object  to  the  terminals  and  possibly  the  storage  warehouses, 
but  we  believe  that  the  huge  factories  proposed  would  attract  to  the  localities  such 
an  enormous  number  of  workers  as  to  cause  a  congestion  in  the  neighborhood  which 
would  be  worse  than  the  freight  congestion  now  objected  to.  We  believe  it  ought  to 
be  possible  to  establish  lines  for  the  handling  of  freight  throughout  the  City,  so  as 
to  distribute  factories  in  many  sections.  These  might  be  partly  elevated  and  partly 
subwaj'.  Pending  such  construction,  we  suggest  the  possibility  of  using  some  of  the 
present  transit  lines  for  the  carriage  of  freight  between  twelve  at  night  and  six  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  when  the  passenger  traffic  is  very  light.  If  freight  distributing  lines 
are  found  to  be  too  expensive,  the  City  might  well  secure  small  tracts  of  land  on  the 
waterfront  throughout  the  City  and  provide  opportunity  for  car  floats  to  dock  at 
several  points,  and  so  diminish  the  congestion  at  any  single  point  and  avoid  the  cost 
of  a  huge  freight  terminal. 

Memorandum  in  Record  to  Tr.\xsit  Facilities  axp  Policies  oe  New  York  City 
WITH  Reference  to  Distribution  of  Population. 

1.     Franchise  System. 

All  transit  franchises  granted  either  by  the  Legislature  or  by  the  local  authorities, 
within  the  present  limits  of  Greater  Xew  York,  prior  tn  the  enactment  of  the  Greater 
New  York  Charter  in  1897,  were  unlimited  as  to  term,  and  therefore  perpetual,  as 
determined  by  the  Court  of  Appeals  in  the  case  of  People  v.  O'Brien,  111  N.  Y.,  1, 
and  other  cases.  These  old  perpetual  grants  cover  the  entire  transit  system  of  the 
City,  with  the  following  exceptions  : 

(a)  The  subway,  constructed  on  the  City's  credit  and  equipped  with  private  capi- 
tal under  operating  leases,  known  as  Contract  Xo.  1  and  Contract  Xo.  2.  Contract 
Xo.  1  covers  the  portion  of  the  subway  north  of  City  Hall  Park  and  extends  for  a 
period  of  fifty  years  from  October  27.  19C4,  with  the  right  of  renewal  for  twenty-five 
years  more  at  a  revaluation.  Contract  Xo.  2  covers  the  portion  of  the  subway  south 
of  City  Hall  Park  in  Manhattan  and  extends  to  Atlantic  avenue,  Brooklyn.  This 
contract  runs  for  a  period  of  thirty-five  years  from  May  1,  1908,  with  the  right  of 
renewal  for  twenty-five  years  more  upon  a  revaluation. 

(b)  The  McAdoo  and  Pennsylvania  tunnels,  whose  franchises  are  perpetual,  sub- 
ject to  a  revaluation  at  the  end  of  twenty-five  years,  and  subject,  so  far  as  the  Mc.-\doo 
extensions  north  of  Christopher  st.  are  concerned,  to  purchase  by  the  City  after 
twenty-five  years,  on  certain  conditions. 

(c)  Street  railway  franchises  granted  by  the  City  since  consolidation,  including 
the  Kingsbridge  Railway  franchise  on  upper  Broadway;  the  X^ew  York  City  Interbor- 
ough  Railw?,y  franchise,  in  The  Bronx;  certain  extensions  of  the  Union  Railway  Com- 
pany's system,  in  The  Bronx ;  two  extensions  of  the  Bronx  Traction  Company's 
system,  in  the  Bronx;  one  small  extension  of  the  X'ew  York  and  Queens  County  Rail- 
way, in  Queens;  the  X'ew  York  and  X'orth  Shore  Traction  franchise,  in  Queens;  The 
South  Shore  Traction  franchise,  in  Queens;  the  X^ew  York  and  Long  Island  Traction 
franchise,  in  Queens ;  one  Ocean  Electric  Railway  extension,  in  Queens  ;  the  Livingston 
and  Lafayette  sts.  extension  of  the  Nassau  Electric  Railroad,  in  Brooklyn  ;  the  Bush 
Terminal  Railroad  franchise,  in  Brooklyn,  and  a  few  unimportant  extensions  and 
connections  at  various  points  in  the  City. 

These  franchises  are  limited  under  the  charter  to  an  original  period  of  twenty- 
five  years,  with  a  renewal  of  twenty-five  years  more  at  a  revaluation,  but  some  of 
them  have  been  granted  for  shorter  periods.  All.  or  nearly  all,  of  these  franchises 
provide  that  at  their  final  expiration  the  tracks  and  other  fixtures  within  street  lines 
shall  revert  to  and  become  the  property  of  the  City  without  cost. 

(d)  Rights  to  the  use  of  certain  bridges  over  the  East  and  Harlem  Rivers  and 
other  streams,  granted  originally  by  the  Bridge  Trustees,  the  Bridge  Department,  the 
Board  of  Estimate  or  other  City  authority.  Most  of  these  grants  are  for  short  terms 
or  are  terminable  at  the  pleasure  of  the  City.  The  tracks  on  the  bridges  are,  for  the 
most  part,  owned  by  the  City. 

Omitting  the  73  miles  of  operated  track  in  the  City-owned  subway  and  the  22 
miles  of  City-owned  surface  and  elevated  tracks  operated  on  the  bridges,  the  relative 
importance  of  perpetual  and  limited  term  franchises  in  the  City  is  shown  by  the  fact 
that  out  of  a  total  of   1,200  miles  of  single  operated  street   railway  track    (surface. 


76 

underground  and  elevated),  approximately   1,150  miles  are  operated  under  perpetual 
franchises,  and  only  about  50  miles  under  limited  franchises. 

It  should  also  be  noted  that  there  are  outstanding  perpetual  franchises  thus  far 
unused  on  about  four  hundred  different  streets  in  the  Greater  City,  with  a  route 
mileage  of  over  20O  miles.  The  status  of  many  of  these  franchises  is  quite  uncertain. 
The  confusion  in  the  Railroad  Law  is  such  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  determine 
whether  or  not  a  franchise  has  been  forfeited  until  the  court  of  last  resort  has  issued 
its  tinal  decree  in  each  particular  case. 

.As  the  law  now  stands,  future  franchise  grants  will  differ  in  material  respects 
from  the  majority  of  those  now  in  force.  The  only  strictly  perpetual  franchises  that 
may  be  granted  are  for  trunk  line  railroads.  Under  the  Rapid  Transit  Act,  the 
Public  Service  Commission,  with  the  approval  of  the  Board  of  Estimate,  may  grant 
franchises  for  subways  and  elevated  roads,  including  third  tracking  and  conjnections. 
on  the  indeterminate  basis,  reserving  to  the  City  the  right  to  terminate  the  grants  and 
take  over  the  property  at  any  time  after  the  expiration  of  ten  years  upon  payment  of  a 
price  that  shall  not  exceed  the  cost  of  construction  and  equipment,  plus  a  15  per  cent, 
bonus.  Moreover,  these  franchises  must  provide  for  a  gradually  dirninishing  purchase 
price  in  case  the  termination  is  delayed,  so  that  at  the  end  of  a  period  to  be  fixed  in 
each  franchise,  the  plant  itself  will  revert  to  the  City  without  cost,  and  the  equipment 
will  be  purchased  at  an  appraised  valuation.  It  should  be  noted  that  franchises  for 
additional  tracks  and  connections  of  existing  rapid  transit  roads  may  be  unlirnited  as 
to  term,  subject  to  the  right  of  the  City  to  purchase,  and  subject  to  the  requirement 
that  some  definite  date  must  be  e.<;tablished  when  the  plant  and  structures,  orher  than 
equipment,  may  be  taken  over  by  the  City  without  payment. 

Street  surface  franchises,  which  are  granted  by  the  Board  of  Estirnate  and  Ap- 
portionment, are  limited  to  twenty-five  years  for  the  original  period,  with  a.  possible 
renewal  of  twenty-five  years.  The  charter  is  interpreted  by  the  Board  of  Estimate 
as  requiring  that  each  franchise  shall  provide  for  the  reversion  of  the  property 
within  the  street  limits  at  the  end  of  the  grant  without  cost  to  the  City,  but  it  is 
doubtful  whether  the  charter  is  mandatory  on  this  point. 

2.     The  System  of  Fares. 

Generally  speaking,  each  operating  street  railway  company  charges  a  nve-cent 
fare,  with  free  transfers  over  its  own  lines,  whether  operated  under  lease  or  other- 
wise. The  law  requires  that  where  two  companies  enter  into  voluntary  agreements 
for  the  common  use  of  tracks,  they  shall  exchange  free  transfers,  unless  relieved 
from  this  requirement  by  the  Public  Service  Commission.  This  requirement,  how- 
ever, does  not  apply  to  the  joint  use  of  tracks  not  established  by  voluntary  agreement, 
but  required  under  the  l,OCO-foot  provision  of  the  Railroad  Law  or  other  statutes. 

Roughly  speaking,  each  borough  is  a  five-cent  fare  zone  on  the  street  surface  rail- 
ways. It  is  possible  to  ride  from  the  post  office  to  Kingsbridge,  or  from  the  Battery 
to  'l55th  St.,  or  from  the  Hudson  River  to  the  East  River,  in  the  Borough  of  Man- 
hattan, for  a  nickel.  It  is  not  possible,  however,  to  ride  from  any  one  point  to  any 
other  in  that  borough  for  a  single  fare,  because  there  are  different  operating  systems 
which  do  not  interchange  transfers.  In  The  Bronx  one  may  ride  from  the  Harlem 
River  at  Third  ave.  to  the  city  line  of  Mount  Vernon  or  Yonkers,  or  from  thi  Harlem 
River  at  Washington  Bridge  to  Westchester  Creek,  for  a  single  fare.  It  is  not  yet 
posible  to  reach  Pelham  Bay  Park  for  one  fare. 

The  fare  system  of  Brooklyn  and  Queens  is  a  little  more  complex.  On  certain 
lines  one  may  ride  from  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  or  the  Williamsburg  Bridge  to  Jackson 
ave..  Corona  Heights  and  Jamaica,  in  the  Borough  of  Queens,  for  five  cents,  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  to  go  to  Coney  Island  on  the  surface  lines  requires  a  double  fare. 
The  various  Coney  Island  surface  lines  are  each  operated  by  two  companies,  an  im- 
aginary transfer  of  cars  and  passengers  being  effected  at  various  points  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  Borough  of  Brooklyn,  so  that  an  extra  faro  can  be  collected.  The 
Brooklvn  Heights  Railroad  Company,  though  operating  its  cars  from  the  East  River 
through  Brooklyn  and  Queens  to  North  Beach  and  Flushing,  is  enabled  under  its  old 
underlying  franchises  to  charge  a  double  fare  to  each  of  these  points. 

Passing  over  the  fare  system  on  the  Brooklyn  Rapid  Transit  lines,  a  person  may 
ride  for  a  single  fare  from  the  Queensboro  Bridge  to  North  Beach,  Flushing  and 
Jamaica,  but  a  double  fare  is  required  for  reaching  Whitcstone.  Bayside  or  points 
south  or  east  of  Jamaica.  Indeed,  to  travel  from  the  Queensboro  Bridge  to  Rockawai; 
Beach  by  trolley  involves  an  excursion  through  Nassau  County  and  the  payment  of 
three  separate  fares. 

Tn  Richmond  a  person  may  ride  from  St.  George  to  Elizabethport,  Bulls  Head, 
Village  of  Richmond,  Midland  Beach  or  Fort  Wadsworth  for  a  five-cent  fare.    Trans 
fer?  are  exchanged  to  a  limited  extent.     The  distance  from  St.  George  to  the  village 
of  Richmond  is  only  about  one-half  the  length  of  the  island. 


n 

On  the  elevated  lines  in  Manhattan  and  the  Bronx  a  uniform  five-cent  fare,  with 
transfer,  is  granted,  enabling  one  to  travel  from  South  Ferry  to  Bedford  Park  for  a 
single  fare.  The  Manhattan  Railway  Company  is  entitled,  however,  under  its  fran- 
chise, to  charge  a  higher  fare,  but  the  iive-cent  rate  has  been  in  use  since  1886,  and 
the  establishment  of  a  different  rate  with  the  zone  system  and  special  low  fare  trains 
during  the  rush  hours,  as  contemplated  by  the  franchises,  would  be  so  inconvenient 
in  operation  that  the  five-cent  rate  may  be  regarded  as  safely  established  for  the  future. 

The  Brooklyn  elevated  lines  also  charge  a  uniform  five-cent  rate,  with  free  trans- 
fers, subject  to  the  qualifications  that  persons  traveling  to  Coney  Island  on  elevated 
trains  which  use  in  part  the  tracks  and  franchises  of  old  steam  roads  are  charged  ten 
cents.  It  should  also  be  noted  that  at  certain  points  free  transfers  are  exchanged 
from  the  elevated  system  to  surface  lines,  even  though  not  required  by  law. 

On  the  subway,  a  person  can  ride  from  Atlantic  avenue,  Brooklyn,  to  Van  Cort- 
landt  Park  or  tn  Bronx  Park,  in  The  Bronx  for  a  single  tare.  At  the  intersection 
of  the  subway  and  the  Third  Avenue  Elevated  Line  in  The  Bronx  free  transfers  are 
exchanged.  Certain  transfers  at  one  or  two  points  with  surface  fines  in  upper  Man- 
hattan and  The  Bronx  are  given  for  three  cents. 

An  important  part  of  the  transit  facilities  in  all  five  boroughs  is  furnished  by 
the  steam  roads,  which  are  entitled  under  the  law  to  charge,  with  one  unimportant 
exception,  a  mileage  rate  of  three  cents.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  these  roads 
offer  reduced  and  commutation  rates,  which,  in  a  few  cases  for  short  hauls,  approxi- 
mate a  five-cent   fare. 

3.     Operating  Systojis. 

The  subway,  which  serves  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx,  with  one  short  extension 
into  the  business  district  of  Brooklyn,  is  operated  by  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit 
Company,  under  contracts  with  the  City,  already  briefly  described.  This  company 
also  operates  the  entire  elevated  railroad  system  of  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx,  under 
a  999-year  lease  from  the  Manhattan  Railway  Company.  This  system  includes  the 
Secoiid,  Third,  Sixth  and  Ninth  avenue  lines,  furnishing  three  parallel  lines  for  the 
full  length  of  the  Island  of  Manhattan,  one  additional  line  from  the  Battery  to 
59th  St.  and  one  line  into  The  Bronx  as  far  as  Bedford  Park.  The  Interborough 
Rapid  Transit  Company  also  controls,  through  stock  ownership,  the  New  York  City 
Interborough  Railway  Company,  wdiich  operates  a  system  of  street  railways  as  yet 
only  partly  constructed,  furnishing  crosstown  service  in  The  Bronx,  with  a  connec- 
tion to  the  subway  at  Broadway  and  181st  st.  in  Manhattan.  The  Interborough 
Company  also  controls  the  City  Island  Railroad  Company  and  the  Pelham  Park  Rail- 
road Company,  which  are  now  experimenting  with  monorail  operation  in  Pelham 
Bay  Park  and'  City  Island.  The  Interborough  Company  also  controls,  through  stock 
ownership,  the  New  York  and  Queens  County  Railway  Company,  operating  in  Long 
Island  City,  Woodside,  Winfield,  Elmhurst,  Corona,  Maspeth,  College  Point  and 
Flushing,  with  the  termini  of  its  various  lines  at  North  Beach,  College  Point,  Jamaica 
and  the  Lutheran  Cemetery.  The  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company  also  has  joint 
control  wath  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company  over  the  New  York  and  Long  Island 
Traction  Comprny  and  the  Long  Island  Electric  Railway  Company,  which  serve  that 
portion  of  the  Borough  of  Queens  lying  south  of  Fulton  street  and  extending  from 
the  borough  line  at  Liberty  avenue,  through  Jamaica  and  south  of  Jamaica  to  Nassau 
County,  re-entering  the  City  again  in  Far  Rockaway.  It  can  be  seen,  therefore,  that 
the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company  has  substantially  complete  control  of  the 
urban  rapid  transit  facilities  in  old  New  York,  with  an  entrance  into  Brooklyn,  and 
substantial  control  of  the  street  surface  railway  systems  of  Queens  and  partial  control 
of  the  street  surface  systems  of  The  Bronx.  The  gross  revenues  of  the  Interborough 
Rapid  Transit  Company  and  the  companies  controlled  by  it  for  the  year  ending  June 
30.  1910,  amounted  to  $30,785,599,  or  38.76  per  cent,  of  the  entire  street  railway  rev- 
enues of  the  Greater  City. 

The  operating  system  next  in  importance  to  that  of  the  Interborough  company  is 
the  Brooklyn  Rapid  Transit  system,  which  binds  together  under  common  control 
seven  operating  companies,  besides  a  number  of  leased  companies.  This  system  in- 
cludes the  entire  elevated  railroad  service  of  Brooklyn,  with  one  extension  inta 
Queens,  and  two  entrances  into  Manhattan,  over  the  Williamsburgh  and  Brooklyn 
bridges,  and  substantially  the  entire  street  railway  system  of  Brooklyn,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Coney  Island  and  Brooklyn  Railroad,  and  has  important  extensions 
into  the  Borough  of  Queens  through  Richmond  Hill  and  Middle  Village  to  Jamaica 
and  through  Maspeth.  Elmhurst  and  Corona  to  North  Beach  and  Flushing.  The  gross 
revenues  of  the  Brooklyn  Rapid  Transit  system  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1910, 
amounted  to  $21,348,498,  or  26.88  per  cent,  of  the  entire  street  railway  revenues  of 
the  Greater  City. 

Prior  to  the   upheaval   of   1907  the   entire    system   of   surface   street   railways   in 


78 

Manhattan  and  the  Bronx  had  been  linked  up  witli  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit 
Company,  through  the  stock  ownership  of  the  MetropoUtan  Street  Railway  Company, 
and  the  Metropolitan  Securities  Company  by  the  Interborough-Metropolitan  Coni- 
pany,  which  also  owns  the  stock  of  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company.  With 
the  appointment  of  the  receivers  in  the  fall  of  1907,  however,  the  active  control  of  the 
big  surface  street  railway  systems  of  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx  went  into  other 
hands,  and  the  systems  themselves  began  to  fall  apart.  The  surface  street  railways 
of  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx  are  now  divided  between  two  principal  systems  and 
a  number  of  more  or  less  detached  lines.  The  Metropolitan  Street  Railway  system 
now  includes  lines  owned  or  leased,  which  pretty  well  gridiron  the  Island  of  Man- 
hattan as  far  north  as  155th  street.  This  system  is  a  more  or  less  m.otley  combination 
of  electric  and  horse  car  lines,  pieced  together  by  ownership,  by  leases  having  various 
terms  to  run.  and  iiy  operating  agreements.  The  gross  revenues  of  this  system  for 
the  year  ending  June  30,  1910,  amounted  to  $13,217,117,  or  16.64  per  cent,  of  the  total 
street  railway  revenues  of  the  City. 

The  other  important  operating  system  of  street  surface  railways  in  Manhattan 
and  The  Bronx  is  the  Third  Avenue  System,  which  consists  of  the  Third  Avenue 
Railroad  proper,  the  Kingsbridge  Railway,  the  Dry  Dock,  East  Broadway  and 
Battery  Railroad,  and  the  42nd  Street,  Manhattanville  and  St.  Nicholas  Avenue  Rail- 
way in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan,  and  the  Union  Railway  of  New  York  City,  the 
Southern  Boulevard  Railroad,  The  Bronx  Traction  lines,  and  portions  of  the  VVest- 
chester  Electric  Railroad  and  the  Yonkers  Railroad  in  The  Bronx,  together  with  the 
remainder  of  the  Westchester  Electric  Railroad  and  the  Yonkers  Railroad  in  West- 
chester County.  This  system  includes  seven  operating  companies,  besides  two  com- 
panies whose  fines  are  operated  under  trackage  agreements.  The  total  revenues  of  the 
Third  Avenue  System  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1910,  amounted  to  $8,061,704,  or 
10.15  per  cent,  of  the  entire  street  railway  revenues  of  the  Greater  City. 

There  are  all  told  33  companies  operating  street  surface  or  rapid  transit 
railroads  in  the  City,  in  addition  to  six  steam  roads,  one  freight  road  with,  a 
street  railway  franchise,  and  two  short  electric  roads  operating  as  summer  lines.  Of 
the  33  street  and  rapid  transit  railway  companies,  22  are  accounted  for  in  the  four  big 
systems  already  described.  There  remain  the  Hudson  and  Manhattan  Railroad  Com- 
pany, operating  the  McAdoo  tunnels ;  the  Second  Avenue  Railroad  Company,  the 
28th  and  29th  Streets  Crosstown  Railroad  Company,  the  Central  Park,  North  and  East 
River  Railroad  Company,  the  South  Shore  Traction  Company,  the  New  York  and 
North  Shore  Traction  Company,  the  Ocean  Electric  Railway  Company,  the  Coney 
Island  and  Brooklyn  Railroad  Company,  the  Van  Brunt  Street  and  Erie  Basin  Rail- 
road Company,  the  Richmond  Light  and  Railroad  Company  and  the  Staten  Island 
Midland  Railway  Company.  The  total  revenues  of  these  miscellaneous  street  railway 
companies  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1910,  amounted  to  $6,007,992,  or  7.57  per  cent. 
of  the  total  street  railway  earnings  of  railroad  companies  of  the  Greater  City. 

The  steam  roads  referred  to  are  the  New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  Rail- 
road Company,  the  New  York,  New  Haven  and  Hartford  Railroad  Company,  the 
Long  Island  Railroad  Company,  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  the  Staten 
Island  Rapid  Transit  Railway  Company,  and  the  Staten  Island  Railway  Company. 
The  freight  road  with  a  street  railway  franchise  is  the  Bush  Terminal  Railroad,  and 
the  two  summer  lines  are  the  Marine  Railway  and  the  Southfield  Beach  Railroad.  It 
should  be  noted  that  in  addition  to  the  companies  already  listed,  the  Third  Avenue 
Bridge  Company  has  received  a  franchise  to  connect  the  Third  ave.  line  with  the 
Borough  of  Queens  by  way  of  the  Queensboro  Bridge,  and  the  East  River  Terminal 
Railroad  and  the  jay  Street  Connecting  Railroad  have  received  franchises  crossing 
streets  in  Brooklyn.  Besides  these,  the  Manhattan  Bridge  Three  Cent  Line  and  the 
New  York  Dock  Railway  are  all  seeking  rights  froVn  the  City. 

4.     Unused  Capacity  of  Present  Facilities. 

One  of  the  most  striking  facts  coming  to  light  on  an  examination  of  the  transit 
systems  of  New  York  in  actual  operation,  is  the  enormous  waste  of  time,  capital  and 
convenience  arising  from  the  confusion  and  choking  of  transit  facilities  at  various 
points.  The  transit  systems  of  the  City  have  grown  up  haphazard,  and  instead  ol 
being  uniform  under  one  general  franchise  or  a  general  franchise  for  each  of 
three  or  four  great  systems,  each  system  is  operated  under  a  multitude  of  old  grants 
having  no  particular  relation  to  each  other  and  not  providing  for  adequate  unification 
and  development  of  facilities. 

The  bad  results  of  this  condition  of  affairs  are  well  illustrated  by  the  fact  that 
for  ten  years  or  more  from  twenty  to  thirty  miles  of  horse-car  tracks  have  remained 
in  the  streets  of  the  City  practically  unused,  and  in  many  cases  in  such  wretched 
condition   as   to   make   street  traffic   dangerous.     These   rails   have   remained   in   the 


79 

streets  under  perpetual  franchises,  and  the  City  authorities  have  not  dared  to  pull 
them  up,  except  in  a  few  cases  in  connection  with  repaving.  It  seems  ridiculous  that 
ten  years  should  pass  in  the  greatest  city  of  America  without  public  authorities  be- 
ing able  to  remove  abandoned  street-car  tracks  from  the  street.  It  is  ridiculous.  A 
franchise  system  that  leaves  the  City  in  this  helpless  condition  should  not  be  tol- 
erated for  a  year.  Attention  is  also  called  to  the  fact  that  on  the  Island  of  Man- 
hattan there  are  still  over  forty  miles  of  antiquated  horse-car  tracks  in  actual  opera- 
tion. This  fact  alone  should  make  New  York  the  laughing  stock  of  the  civilized 
world. 

It  has  been  estimated  that  a  scientific  re-routing  of  the  surface  car  lines  of 
Manhattan,  without  reference  to  divergent  owntrship  of  franchises,  and  assuming 
that  existing  horse-car  tracks  could  be  electrified  and  short  stretches  of  new  franchise 
acquired  for  the  development  of  the  lines,  would  practically  treble  the  capacity  of 
the  present  surface  street  railway  facilities  north  and  south  on  Manhattan  island. 
The  routes  as  now  arranged  are  patched  up  by  the  different  operating  companies 
on  the  basis  of  old  competing  franchises,  and  no  one  in  authority,  either  in  the 
City  government  or  in  the  street  railway  business,  has  made  any  consistent  effort 
to  eliminate  this  waste  and  reduce  the  surface  car  operation  to  a  scientific  system. 
The  City  has  expended  $80,000,000  or  more  in  the  construction  of  four  bridges 
across  the  East  River.  One  of  these,  the  Brooklyn  Bridge,  has  undoubtedly  paid 
for  itself  in  its  use  for  transportation  purposes.  But  even  this  bridge,  overloaded  as 
it  already  is,  has  had  its  usefulness  considerably  limited  by  the  senseless  plan  of 
dumping  both  surface  and  elevated  passengers  all  in  one  place  at  Park  Row,  and 
of  picking  them  up  again  at  the  rush  hour  at  night  under  conditions  of  the  most 
barbarous  and  indecent  crowding.  Traft'ic  conditions  at  the  Park  Row  end  of  the 
bridge  have  for  many  years  been  a  standing  disgrace  to  the  City.  Some  excuse 
may  be  made  for  the  original  development  of  these  conditions,  on  the  ground  that 
the  bridge  was  constructed  at  a  time  when  New  York  and  Brooklyn  were  separate 
cities  and  were  not  in  a  position  to  co-operate  in  the  development  of  through  transit 
facilities  on  scientific  lines. 

When  we  come  to  the  Williamsburgh  Bridge,  however,  and  find  that  the  same 
conditions  are  repeated,  with  the  exception  that  underground  terminals  are  provided 
for  surface  cars  at  the  New  Y'ork  end  of  the  bridge,  and  that  an  extra  set  of  tracks 
enables  New  York  cars  to  cross  the  bridge  to  the  Brooklyn  plaza,  it  seems  almost  a 
criminal  waste  of  public  money.  This  bridge,  although  it  was  constructed  to  sup- 
port six  tracks  as  against  four  on  the  Brooklyn  Bridge,  and  although  it  has  been  in 
operation  for  six  years,  now  carries  less  than  70  per  cent  as  many  passengers.  This  is 
due  in  large  measure  to  the  fact  that  no  facilities  have  been  provided  for  bringing 
Brooklyn  cars  that  use  the  Williamsburgh  Bridge  into  and  through  the  business  dis- 
tricts of  Manhattan,  where  the  people  want  to  get  off. 

The  Queensboro  Bridge,  opened  less  than  two  years  ago,  is  an  extraordinary 
monument  ta  the  inadequate  and  disjointed  plans  of  the  City  with  reference  to 
transit  facilities.  After  the  construction  of  the  bridge  was  commenced,  the  City 
apnroved  the  location  of  Sunnyside  Yard,  h'ing  diagonally  athwart  the  Queens 
entrance  to  the  bridge.  The  bridge  stands  there,  without  any  adequate  plans  having 
yet  been  made  for  its  use,  although  its  builders  undoubtedly  had  the  vague  purpose 
of  opening  up  the  Borough  of  Queens,  with  its  wide-stretching  areas  of  comparatively 
cheap  land,  to  the  swarming  millions  of  Manhattan. 

Finally,  the  Manhattan  Bridge  has  been  opened  for  traffic  a  full  year,  but  as 
yet  no  transit  facilities  have  been  provided  on  this  bridge.  The  daily  flow  of  traffic 
across  the  East  River  by  bridges,  ferries  and  tunnels,  now  amounts  in  the  aggre- 
gate to  about  500,000  each  way.  Of  this  number,  one-third  are  carried  over  the 
four  tracks  of  the  Brooklyn  Bridge.  If  the  twenty  tracks  provided  for  on  the 
other  three  bridges  were  used  to  the  same  extent,  the  bridges  alone  would  carry 
1,000,000  people  a  day  across  the  East  River  and  back.  But  the  Brooklyn  Bridge 
is  undoubtedly  overworked,  and  it  appears  that  at  least  two  of  the  other  bridges, 
in  spite  of  their  great  cost,  will  have  to  be  strengthened  before  they  can  carry  the 
loads  for  which  they  were  designed. 

In  addition  to  the  bridges,  there  are  already  constructed  in  tunnels  under  the 
East  River  eight  railroad  tracks,  four  of  which  are  for  use  for  street  and  rapid 
transit  railways. 

The  subway  owned  by  the  City,  as  at  present  constructed,  makes  operation  tedious 
and  expensive,  and  service  uncertain.  The  people  from  The  Bronx  are  carried 
across  to  the  west  side  of  Manhattan  and  down  the  west  side  to  42d  st.,  and  then 
carried  back  to  the  east  side,  with  the  result  of  greatly  increasing  the  cost  of  opera- 
tion, choking  the  service  where  the  two  branches  of  the  subway  come  together  at 
96th  St.,  and  increasing  the  time  necessary  for  bringing  people  from  The  Bronx  to 


80 

the  lower  part  of  Manhattan  island.  Unquestionably,  as  a  matter  of  transit  economy, 
the  present  rapid  transit  subway  system  ought  to  be  completed  so  as  to  furnish  a 
through  east  side  line  and  a  through  west  side  line  up  and  down  Manhattan.  This 
is  conceded  by  everybody.  The  present  dispute  is  as  to  whether  these  extensions 
shall  be  built  by  the  operating  company  exclusively  from  its  own  funds  or  with 
the  help  of  the  City. 

The  elevated  railway  structures,  which  unfortunately  cumber  several  of  the  prin- 
cipal avenues  of  Manhattan,  are  not  now  operated  to  advantage.  The  completion  of 
the  third-tracking,  it  is  estimated,  will  add  60  per  cent  to  the  carrying  capacity  of 
these  roads. 

In  Brooklya  the  development  of  the  trafific  on  the  elevated  railway  lines  to 
their  full  capacity  is  prevented  by  the  choking  at  the  Brooklyn  Bridge,  and  by  the 
wretched  operation  made  necessary  by  a  crooked  route  in  the  business  district  of 
Brooklyn,  as  well  as  by  the  fact  that  some  of  the  outlying  lines,  notably  those  on 
Xew  Utrecht  ave.  and  Gravesend  ave.,  will  have  to  be  elevated  or  depressed  before 
adequate   rapid  transit   service   can   be   safely   furnished  by  them. 

The  Steinway  tunnel,  which  has  been  lying  unused  for  four  years,  since  it  was 
practically  completed,  like  the  Queensboro  Bridge,  ends  nowhere.  No  provision  has 
been  made  for  the  adequate  development  of  transit  facilities  in  Queens  connecting 
with  it. 

In  The  Bronx,  tracks  have  been  laid  on  St.  Anns  ave.  for  eight  years,  but 
owing  to  a  defective  franchise,  they  have  never  been  put  into  use.  Also  in  that 
Borough  several  stretches  of  track  belonging  to  the  New  York  City  Interborough  Rail- 
way Company  have  already  been  in  the  streets  for  several  years  unused,  and  only 
recently  one  of  these  stretches  was  abandoned  and  the  tracks  taken  up. 

Everywhere  in  the  development  of  the  transit  facilities  of  the  greater  city,  chaos 
and  waste  are  apparent.  This  appears  to  be  due  to  the  fact  that  the  City  and  the 
State  have  gone  all  these  years  upon  the  assumption  that  the  provision  of  rapid 
transit  facilities  for  a  great  city  was,  in  the  main,  a  function  for  private  companies, 
to  be  exploited  for  private  gain,  rather  than  a  public  function  to  be  initiated  and  con- 
trolled by  a  strong  central  public  authority  with  the  power  to  plan  a  scientific  sys- 
tem of  transit  and  carry  such  a  plan  through  to  practical  fruition. 

5.     Suggestions  as  to  the  General  Lines  of  Future  Developiiicnf. 

One  of  the  most  obvious  principles  that  should  control  the  development  of 
transit  facilities  in  a  great  city  like  New  York,  or,  for  that  matter,  in  any  great  city, 
is  to  make  adequate  provisions  by  which  people  from  all  outlying  sections  suitable 
for  residence,  can  be  brought  to  and  distributed  through  the  business  district  of  the 
city  where  they  work,  with  quick  and  convenient  service,  for  a  single  fare.  Man- 
hattan island,  south  of  59th  St.,  is  the  great  business  centre  of  the  City.  It  ought  to 
be  possible  for  people  living  in  upper  Manhattan,  in  The  Bronx,  in  Queens,  in 
Brooklyn,  and  even  in  the  nearby  portions  of  New  Jersey,  to  reach  any  point  in  this 
district  quickly  and  cheaply.  The  present  crying  need  of  the  greater  city  is  the 
admission  of  the  transit  lines  of  Brooklyn  and  Queens  into  and  through  this  dis- 
trict. The  Bronx  has  a  population  of  less  than  half  a  million,  and  already  has  three 
rapid  transit  lines  leading  directly  to  lower  Manhattan.  Brooklyn  and  Queens  have 
a  population  of  nearly  two  millions,  and  have  no  street  railway  or  rapid  transit  lines 
that  go  further  into  Manhattan  than  the  bridge  terminals,  except  the  short  exten- 
sion of  the  present  subway,  which  only  serves  to  make  the  people  of  Brooklyn 
pay  a  second  fare  to  get  transit  facilities  which  should  be  furnished  them  for  the 
original   fare   which   they  have  already   paid   on   the   Brooklyn   lines. 

The  awful  congestion  of  population  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  has  attracted 
the  attention  of  lawmakers  and  reformers  for  about  fifty  years,  but  no  adequate 
system  of  transit  that  would  decrease  this  congestion,  or  even  prevent  its  extending 
northward  and  spreading  over  a  greater  area,  has  yet  been  devised  or  seriously  at- 
tempted. Congestion  means  higher  rentals  and  enormous  land  values.  It  is  con- 
trary to  the  interests  of  the  landlords  of  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx  that  conges- 
tion should  be  relieved,  and  it  is  fair  to  assume  that  a  part  of  the  egregious  blunder- 
ing that  has  been  characteristic  of  the  City's  transit  development  is  to  be  laid  at  the 
door  of  the  landlord  interest.  Unquestionably,  the  transit  facilities  of  a  great  city 
should  be  planned  as  a  unit.  Unquestionably  they  should  be  operated  as  a  unit,  if 
they  can  be  operated  not  primarily  for  the  purpose  of  exploiting  monopoly  fran- 
chises, but  primarily  for  the  development  of  facilities  for  rendering  adequate  service 
to  the  people  of  the  City  at  a  reasonable  cost.  Of  course,  a  strictly  private  monopoly 
is  contrary  to  the  genius  of  democracy  and  would  be  intolerable  in  any  American 
city,  but  if  the  experience  of  the  past  sixty  years  has  demonstrated  anything,  it  is 
that  the  provision  of  transit  facilities  for  the  people  of  a  great  city  is  in  its  nature 


81 

a  public  business  and  should  be  developed  along  lines  calculated  primarily  to  serve 
the  public  interest.  If  the  City  finds  it  more  convenient  to  make  use  of  one  or  more 
private  companies  for  operating  purposes  rather  than  to  operate  the  transit  lines 
itself,  the  very  least  that  it  can  do  is  to  maintain  absolute  control,  both  positive 
and  negative,  of  the  construction  of  new  lines,  the  character  of  the  equipment  and 
services  rendered,  and  the  rates  charged. 

Unquestionably,  the  subways  and  the  elevated  roads,  but  especially  the  subways 
in  the  heart  of  the  City,  furnish  the  key  to  an  urban  transit  system.  The  control 
of  these  expensive  downtown  links  will,  sooner  or  later,  bring  complete  control  of 
all  street  railway  transit  facilities.  It  appears  from  a  careful  examination  of  the 
general  transit  situation,  that  the  following  points  are  essential  to  any  adequate  pro- 
gram for  transit  development  m  Xew  York  City : 

1.  The  existing  perpetual  franchises  must  be  terminated,  either  by  forfeiture, 
where,  through  neglect  or  non-compliance  with  law,  they  have  been  made  forfeitable, 
or  through  condemnation,  or  through  purchase,  or  through  negotiation,  substituting 
modern  short-term  or  indeterminate  franchises  for  them. 

2.  The  general  rapid  transit  system,  over  the  development  of  which  the  City 
now  has  substantial  control,  should  be  planned  so  as  to  utilize  to  their  capacity  the 
subways,  bridges,  and  elevated  railroads  already  constructed,  and  so  as  to  bring  the 
people  from  the  outlying  portions  directly  into  and  through  the  principal  business 
district,  with  quick  service,  for  a  single  fare. 

■  3.  An  adequate  system  of  belt  lines  and  freight  railroads,  to  encourage  the 
development  of  manufacturing  centres,  with  convenient  access  to  adequate  resi- 
dence areas  outside  of  the  island  of  Manhattan,  should  be  made  a  part  of  the  gen- 
eral plan  of  transit  development. 

The  reason  most  frequently  advanced  during  the  past  forty  years  for  the  in- 
terest the  City  and  the  State  have  taken  in  the  development  of  rapid  transit  lines 
in  New  York,  has  been  the  necessity  for  relieving  congestion  of  population  on  Man- 
hattan island,  and  yet  -substantially  nothing  has  been  accomplished  to  relieve  such 
congestion. 

It  seems  to  be  about  time  for  a  united  and  determined  eflfort  to  make  for  the 
.  interests  of  the  City  at  large,  and  of  its  people,  to  override  the  great  special  interests, 
whether  represented  b}-  land  speculators  or  by  the  present  owners  of  street  railway 
and  rapid  transit  franchises,  to  the  end  that  this  metropolis,  with  all  its  tremendous 
natural  advantages  and  acquired  wealth,  shall  become  a  fit  place  for  men  of  limited 
means  to  live  and  bring  up  their  families. 

As  a  practical  means  of  bringing  about  the  necessary  control  of  the  general 
transit  system  by  the  City,  in  addition  to  the  adequate  use  of  the  City's  rapid  transit 
powers,  the  City  ought  to  adopt  a  standard  form  of  street  railway  franchises,  with 
provision  for  the  proper  maintenance  and  development  of  street  car  facilities ;  with 
provision  for  building  all  extensions  as  needed ;  with  provision  for  re-routing  all 
lines  so  as  to  bring  them  up  to  their  fullest  capacity;  with  provision  for  a  limited 
but  semi-guaranteed  return  upon  the  actual  present  value  of  the  physical  property 
to  be  ascertamed  by  appraisal ;  with  provision  for  the  gradual  amortization  of  capital 
out  of  earnings ;  with  provision  for  a  division  of  net  profits  and  with  provision 
for  an  indeterminate  grant  which  would  permit  the  City  at  any  time  to  take  over 
the  street  railways  for  municipal  operation  upon  pajang  the  appraised  value  as  fixed 
in  the  grant,  plus  legitimate  additions  and  betterments,  and  less  the  accumulations 
of  the  amortization  fund,  or  to  cause  the  transfer  of  the  street  railways  to  a  new 
company  or  companies  upon  the  same  terms.  Having  adopted  such  a  standard  form, 
and  having  secured  any  legislation  that  may  be  necessary  to  make  it  thoroughly  prac- 
ticable, the  City  should  commence  a  persistent  hammering  to  compel  the  companies 
now  claiming  to  have  perpetual  franchises  to  come  in  and  make  settlement  on  the 
new  terms.  The  extraordinary  carelessness  displayed  by  the  companies  in  the  past 
in  the  matter  of  leaving  portions  of  their  franchises  unused,  in  the  matter  of  abandon- 
ing portions  of  their  routes,  and  in  the  matter  of  violating  the  terms  of  their  fran- 
chise and  the  Railroad  Law^  in  other  ways,  has  left  many  of  them  open  to  attack  in 
the  courts.  It  is  more  than  probable  that  with  a  club  in  one  hand  and  a  standard 
indeterminate  franchise,  adequately  protecting  the  honest  investors,  in  the  other,  the 
City  could,  in  a  few  years,  force  all  of  the  street  railway  companies  to  come  to 
terms  and  thus  secure  for  the  City  the  necessary  control  that  can  never  be  hoped 
for  as  long  as  the  perpetual  franchises  remain  outstanding. 

,  This  policy  is  practical  and  hopeful,  for  the  reason  that  it  would  open  the  way 
for  ultimate  municipal  ownership  of  all  the  lines  by  providing  for  the  amortiza- 
tion of  street  railway  capital  out  of  earnings,  so  that  the  City  would  not  be  com- 
pelled to  incur  an  enormous  additional  debt  in  taking  the  lines  over. 


82 

REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  HOUSING  CONDITIONS,  REGULA- 
TION OF  BUILDINGS  AND  LOCATING  NEW  SETTLEMENTS.  CHARLES 
SCHAEFER,  JR.,  CHAIRMAN. 

The  Committee  on  Housing  Conditions,  Regulation  of  Buildings  and  Location  of 
New  Settlements  at  their  meetings  have  carefully  considered  various  problems  relat- 
ing to  the  present  housing  conditions  and  the  various  causes  thereof,  also  what  relief 
can  be  afforded  to  the  present  congested  and  densely  populated  centres. 

Various  schemes  for  improved  housing  have  been  placed  before  the  Committee 
at  the  public  hearings,  and  examples  presented  of  European  cities  which  have  had 
conditions  to  meet,  which  nearly  parallel  those  of  New  York  City.  No  important  im- 
provement has  been  made  in  tenement  house  conditions  in  New  York  City  smce  the 
enactment  of  the  Tenement  House  Act  of  1901. 

The  facilities  of  the  Tenement  House  Department  under  the  supervision  of 
Commissioner  Murphy  have  been  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Committee,  and  the 
data  thus  obtained  is  submitted  as  a  supplement  to  this  report. 

The  report  deals  with  the  present  methods  of  inspection  which  are  somewhat 
limited,  and  comprises  the  maximum  of  lot  areas  covered,  inspection  of  old  buildings 
and  the  overcrowding  of  rooms,  also  the  improvement  made  in  altering  the  present 
dark  rooms,  a  condition  that  has  been  grievously  neglected,  as  it  deals  mainly  with 
people  who  are  subjected  to  conditions  that  are  a  serious  menace  to  their  health  and 
public  welfare,  while  it  also  affects  the  hospitals  and  almshouses  as  well  as  the  insane 
asylums  of  the  City  and  increases  the  annual  charitable  expenditures  of  the  City.  To 
permit  conditions  such  as  those  now  prevalent  to  continue  is  unworthy  of  the  Empire 
City. 

Sanitary  conditions  have  been  improved  somewhat  through  the  systematic  inspec- 
tion of  the  Tenement  House  Department.  Serious  evils,  however,  which  affect  the 
health  of  the  community  and  are  likely  to  be  the  cause  of  epidemics  with  all  the  con- 
sequences, are  permitted  to  exist  under  the  present  Tenement  House  Law,  Health 
Department  and  Building  Code. 

Congested  tenement  areas  have  been  shown  to  exist  adjacent  to  and  commonly 
become  part  of  factory  territories,  due  to  the  high  rental  and  exjienses  of  the  house- 
hold, the  long  hours  of  labor  and  the  lack  of  proper  transit  facilities.  Low  wages  is 
also  a  cause  of  the  overcrowding  of  rooms,  as  the  Committee  have  found  upon  per- 
sonal investigation  that  in  a  number  of  cases  lodgers  or  boarders  are  taken  in  order 
to  reduce  the  family  expenditure  for  rent.  In  a  large  proportion  of  cases  the  pres- 
ence of  lodgers  causes  the  unlawful  occupation  of  such  rooms  in  excess  of  the  re- 
quirements regarding  overcrowding.  Many  rooms  which  under  the  present  law  are 
habitable  are  really  unfit  for  human  occupancy  and  cannot  be  made  fit  except  by 
radical  structural  changes.  In  many  such  apartments  a  further  menace  to  health  is 
sanctioned  by  permitting  the  manufacture  of  articles  of  clothing,  flowers,  etc.,  through 
which  disease  and  possible  epidemics  can  be  spread  not  only  in  the  City  and  territories 
adjacent  to  the  City,  but  throughout  the  country,  as  was  shown  by  the  partly  finished 
articles  in  the  various  apartments  visited.  The  present  factory  law,  therefore,  encour- 
ages congestion  in  allowing  such  manufacture  in  tenements  which  are  occupied  not 
only  by  the  tenants,  but  also  by  outside  help  either  hired  or  brought  in  to  assist  those 
occupying  the  apartment  and  to  add  to  the  existing  unsanitary  conditions. 

Congested  districts  usually  furnish  these  conditions  under  which  labor  of  this  class 
is  cheapest  and  most  plentiful.  The  average  rental  of  such  apartments  and  the  family 
income  are  appended  as  a  further  report. 

These  evils  are  not  especially  confined  to  any  particular  borough,  but  to  certain 
areas  in  each  borough  which  are  noted  for  the  high  death  rates,  wliich  is  one  of  the 
inevitable  results  of  such  conditions  which  are  actually  legal  under  the  present   laws. 

The  Committee  have  had-  presented  to  it  various  methods  adopted  by  European 
cities  in  dealing  with  similar  problems  and  regulating  living  conditions  by  laws  de- 
signed to  spread  the  population  over  a  greater  area,  as  well  as  to  enable  them  to  reach 
their  places  of  employment  within  a  reasonable  time  and  allow  them  to  live  in  sur- 
roundings that  promote  health  and  happiness.  The  population  of  limited  areas  of 
Manhattan  equals  that  of  many  large  American  cities. 

The  room  overcrowding  has  also  been  referred  to,  and  this  is  found  not  alone  in 
tenement  houses,  but  also  in  private  dwellings  known  as  one  and  two-family  houses. 
Such  room  overcrowding  exists  in  one  and  two-family  house  sections  which  are 
undergoing  changes,  and  the  standards  enforced  in  tenement  houses  should  also  be 
enforced  in  one  and  two-family  houses,  since  the  dangers  of  room  or  apartment 
overcrowding,  such  as  infection  and  spread  of  disease,  are  nearly  as  serious  in  one 
and  two-family  houses  as  in  multiple  family  tenements. 


83 

The  present  building  laws  also  permit  rooms  in  one  and  two-family  houses  with- 
out any  means  of  ventilation  to  the  outer  air. 

The  increase  in  rental  thus  shown  is  due  to  several  causes  but  mainly  the  fol- 
lowing : 

The  increase  of  population  requiring  housing  in  limited  areas,  which  naturally 
creates  an  increase  in  land  values.  Increase  in  cost  of  materials  used  in  the  con- 
struction of  buildings,  and  increase  in  the  cost  of  labor  employed  in  the  erection  of 
buildings  for  general  housing,  have  their  effect  in  reducing  the  supply  at  moderate 
cost  of  new  buildings,  suitable  for  those  of  small  incomes.  To  make  possible  a  low 
density  of  population,  land  must  be  cheap,  and  this  can  be  accomplished  only  by  bring- 
ing much  land  into  the  market  by  transit  and  also  by  distributing  factories,  or  by 
restricting  the  height  and  number  of  buildings,  or  by  a  combination  of  these. 

The  cost  of  construction  in  the  past  ten  years  has,  according  to  reports  and  in- 
vestigations, increased  from  an  average  of  10  cents  per  cubic  foot  to  16  cents  per 
cubic  foot  for  the  ordinary  type  of  a  tenement  house  generally  built.  This  would 
show  an  approximate  increase  in  the  cost  of  construction  of  about  5U  per  cent.  While 
this  seems  excessive,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  type  of  house  now  constructed 
is  far  superior  to  that  built  10  years  ago.  A  certain  percentage  of  increase  in  cost 
of  construction  is  due  to  the  demand  in  the  new  type  of  tenement  for  a  better  and 
more  progressive  apartment ;  therefore,  the  actual  increr<se  in  cost  of  construction, 
considering  the  convenience  now  offered,  can  be  safely  assumed  at  25  to  30  per  cent., 
and  this  is  largely  due  to  the  increased  cost  of  the  various  materials  of  a  building. 

Land  values  have  also  increased.  This  increase,  together  with  the  increased  cost 
of  construction,  have  increased  the  capital  invested  in  buildings,  and  as  the  owner 
assumes  that  he  is  entitled  to  a  fair  return  on  the  investment,  he  is  inclined  to  demand 
higher  rentals. 

This  increase  in  land  values,  therefore,  has  an  influence  in  the  decided  advance 
in  the  rental  value  of  buildings,  w-hile  labor  has  also  shared  slightly  in  the  general 
increase,  but  not  proportionately  to  the  cost  of  construction  or  to  the  largest  expense, 
the  increased  value  of  land. 

Old  Types  of  Tenements. 
The  old  type  of  tenement  house  has  a  large  number  of  dark  rooms,  due  to  the 
narrowness  of  the  light  shafts  or  vent  courts  and  the  height  of  the  buildings,  and  a 
larger  proportion  of  these  are  located  in  the  older  or  more  densely  populated  sections 
of  Manhattan  than  in  the  other  boroughs,  and  are  adjacent  to  the  still  older  type 
of  tenement  which  have  the  interior  light  or  vent  shafts,  covered  with  a  skylight,  and 
others  that  have  none  whatsoever,  but  borrow  the  light  for  the  interior  rooms  from 
the  outer  rooms  through  windows  far  too  small  to  properly  ventilate  the  outer  rooms 
themselves.  That  is  one  of  the  most  serious  problems  that  the  Committee  have  been 
confronted  with,  and  it  seems  impossible  to  solve  this  until  the  interior  rooms  can  be 
so  arranged  as  to  open  upon  a  properly  ventilated  shaft  or  a  court  open  to  the  sky. 
The  present  narrow  courts  also  demand  attention  so  as  to  afford  a  proper  method 
of  ventilation  by  means  of  a  properly  constructed  intake  or  duct  to  afford  the  passage 
of  air  from  the  street  or  outer  air. 

Buildings   Other   Than   Tenements. 

The  Building  Code  contains  no  specific  requirement  as  to  the  percentage  of  lot 
space,  to  be  left  unoccupied  by  certain  classes  of  buildings,  and  it  is  possible  to  cover 
an  entire  lot  of  land  adjacent  to  a  tenement  house  with  a  factory  or  warehouse  and 
thereby  to  rob  the  tenement  not  only  of  light,  but  of  ventilation,  causing  the  yards, 
and  shafts  to  become  enclosed  ducts. 

In  certain  blocks  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  absolutely  no  through  ventilation 
can  be  had  by  reason  of  the  various  buildings  surrounding  the  tenement  houses  ort 
such  areas. 

It  is  permissible  under  the  law  to  construct  an  eight  or  ten-story  building  ad- 
jacent to  a  two-foot  8-inch  shaft  12  or  14  feet  in  length,  which'  is  the  only 
means  of  light  and  ventilation  to  three  and  possibly  four  interior  rooms. 

The  buildings  known  as  apartment  houses  under  the  classification  of  tenements 
have  not  been  investigated,  for  the  reason  that  most  of  them  have  been  constructed 
under  the  Tenement  House  Law  of  1901,  and  are  known  as  New  Law  Houses,  and 
where  renting  for  $6  and  over  per  room  do  not  demand  the  inquiries  of  the  Com- 
mission. 

However,  in  many  New  Law  Tenements  located  in  the  more  densely  populated 
sections  of  the  City,  although  the  general  conditions  of  lighting  and  ventilation  have 
been  improved,  there  is  much  room  overcrowding  due  to  taking  in  of  lodgers  to  re- 
duce the  general  family  expenses.     Section  111  of  the  Tenement  House  Law  attempts 


84 

to  prevent  this  by  specifying  the  amount  of  cubic  air  space  to  be  provided  as  400 
cubic  feet  for  an  adult  and  2G0  cubic  feet  for  a  minor  under  12.  Although  this 
remains  a  law,  it  has  not  been  found  possible  by  the  Tenement  House  Department 
to  enforce  it  effectively.  The  sanitary  conditions  of  halls,  stairways,  courts  and 
yards,  etc.,  should  also  be  considered,  since  the  Commission  have  found  upon  the 
various  visits  many  foul  and  improperly  cared  for  spaces  and  passageways.  Whereas 
section  110  of  the  Tenement  House  Law  requires  a  janitor  to  reside  in  the  house 
where  there  are  more  than  eight  families,  a  number  have  been  found  to  have  no 
care  whatsoever  and  tending  to  become  detrimental  to  life  and  health.  This  section 
of  the  law  affects  seriously  the  more  congested  sections  of  our  City.  The  present 
law  as  to  the  percentage  of  lot  area  that  may  be  occupied  requires  further  investiga- 
tion than  it  has  been  possible  for  the  Committee  to  give  to  the  question,  particularly 
with  relation  to  the  erection  of  buildings  in  the  now  congested  .sections  of  the  City. 

In  the  more  sparsely  settled  sections  of  the  various  boroughs  it  is  not  necessary 
to  have  as  large  a  percentage  of  the  lot  area  occupied  by  l)uildings  as  necessitated 
by  the  high  cost  of  land  in  Manhattan  and  parts  of  The  Bronx  and  Brooklyn,  neither 
should  the  buildings  be  as  high,  while  detached  or  open  building  should  be  encouraged 
wherever  possible.  In  the  judgment  of  the  Committee  the  zones  or  districts  to  which 
these  regulations  should  apply  should  be  determined  by  some  commission  with  ade- 
quate funds  to  make  studies  of  land  values  for  the  future  development  of  the  entire 
City.  This  work  should  preferably  be  done  by  the  Municipal  i\rt  Commission  and 
Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  whose  report  and  plan  for  the  City  should 
be  made  mandatory  by  statute.  The  Committee  have  made  suggestions  merely  re- 
garding the  height  of  buildings,  as  their  primary  task  is  to  prevent  congestion  of 
population.  Revision  of  the  Building  Code  is  also  essential.  Legislation  should 
moreover  be  enacted  immediately,  providing  that  where  factories  or  lofts  or  other 
manufacturing  structures  are  erected  upon  any  block  in  which  at  present  50  per  cent, 
of  the  buildings  are  used  or  occupied  as  tenement  houses,  space  shall  be  left  in  the 
rear  of  such  building  or  structure  equal  to  the  depth  of  the  yard  required  for  a 
tenement  house  of  equal  height,  or  of  a  depth  at  least  one-tenth  the  height  of  the 
building  with  a  minimum  of  ten  feet.  This  is  necessary  to  maintain  the  through 
block  circulation  of  air  required  and  for  the  light  and  ventilation  of  tenements. 

It  is  necessary  at  the  beginning  of  this  report  to  distinguish  between  "concentra- 
tion" of  population  and  "congestion"  of  population,  the  former  term  implying  the 
presence  within  a  limited  area  of  a  large  population,  the  latter  term  the  overloading 
of  land.  Thus  it  would  be  possible  to  have  in  the  209,218  acres  of  Greater  New  York 
10,460,900  people  with  a  density  of  only  50  to  the  acre  throughout  the  City,  or  more 
than  twice  the  present  population.  This  would  represent  marked  concentration  of 
population,  but  with  any  even  distribution  of  population  throughout  the  live  boroughs 
would  not  involve  any  congestion  of  population.  New  York  City  might  have  a 
population  of  even  a  much  larger  number  within  its  present  boundaries  without  any 
serious   congestion. 

Congestion  of  population  is  a  term  about  the  meaning  of  which  there  is  undoubt- 
edly great  difference  of  opinion.  In  the  report  of  this  Committee  it  will  be  used  as 
indicative  of  conditions  of  population  which  are  conducive  to  unsanitarj'  or  immoral 
living  in  special  sections  of  the  City.  These  sections  will  be  spoken  of  as  "congested 
sections." 

It  may  at  the  outset  be  said  that  there  is  no  legal  limit  set  to  the  population 
whirh  may  exist  in  the  City  or  in  particular  sections  thereof,  with  two  exceptions: 

First — By  the  Factory  Law  at  least  250  cubic  feet  of  air  space  must  be  provided 
for  each  worker. 

Second — The  Tenement  House  Law  requires  that  rooms  in  tenement  houses  shall 
not  be  so  overcrowded  that  there  shall  be  afforded  less  than  400  cubic  feet  of  air 
space  to  each  adult  and  200  cubic  feet  of  air  to  each  child  under  twelve  years  of 
age  occupying  such  rooms. 

While  there  are  thus  no  legal  limits  set  to  the  number  of  people  who  may  either 
work  or  live  in  the  City  or  any  particular  section  thereof,  the  structural  require- 
ments of  the  Building  Law  combined  with  certain  requirements  of  the  Tenement 
House  Law  limit  the  population  which  may  be  housed  in  the  most  congested  sec- 
tions, if  these  laws  are  complied  with. 
The  limits  are : 

(1)  A  density  of  population  at  the  minimum  of  1,300  to  the  acre,  including  with- 
in that  area  half  the  acreage  of  the  streets  upon  which  the  houses  front  in  buildings 
six  stories  in  height. 

(2)  A  floor  area  of  260  square  feet  and  a  space  of  2,340  cubic  feet  for  each 
living  apartment;  that  is,  two  rooms  7x10  feet,  and  one  room  10x12,  with  a  height 
of  9  feet  clear  in  all  rooms  from  floor  to  ceiling. 


85 

(3)  A  lot  occupancy  of  W  per  centum  of  corner  lots  and  70  per  centum  of 
interior  lots. 

(4)  In  six-story  tenements  under  the  existing  laws  it  is  possible  that  only  one 
room  out  of  four  will  obtain  an  adequate  supply  of  sunshine. 

These  laws  h^ive  a  practical  effect,  however,  only  upon  tenement  houses.  Thus 
it  is  possible  to  cover  an  entire  plot  of  land  adjacent  to  a  tenement  house  by  a  fac- 
tory or  warehouse  of  almost  any  height  and  thus  deprive  a  tenement  not  only  of 
light,  but  of  ventilation,  by  causing  the  yards  or  shafts  to  become  enclosed  ducts. 
In  certain  blocks  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  no  through  \xnti!ation  can  be  had 
by  reason  of  the   fact  that  these  various  buildings   surround  the  tenement  houses. 

These  limits  to  the  population  and  to  the  character  of  the  tenement  houses  have 
been,  it  must  be  remembered,  operative  only  since  1901.  As  the  Tenemnt  House  Law 
passed  that  year  was  not  retroactive  in  effect  the  then  existing  conditions  of  conges- 
tion of  population  so  far  as  they  exceeded  the  limits  fixed  by  that  law  were  not 
changed,  with  the  result  that  in  many  sections  conditions  then  existing  are  still  found. 
Many  thousands  of  the  old  type  of  tenement  houses  arc  still  standing  in  three  bor- 
oughs with  many  dark  rooms,  due  to  the  narrowness  of  light  or  vent  shafts  and 
courts,  and  the  height  of  the  buildings.  A  large  proportion  of  this  class  of  houses 
is  located  in  the  older  and  more  densely  populated  sections  of  Manhattan.  Some 
of  these  houses  have  the  interior  light  or  vent  shafts  covered  with  skylights,  and 
others  borrow  the  light  for  the  interior  rooms  from  the  outer  rooms  through  windows 
far  too  small  properly  to  ventilate  the  outer  rooms  themselves. 

These  efforts  to  limit  by  law  congestion  of  population  have,  however,  in  many 
cases  and  in  the  most  congested  sections  been  nullified  by  overcrowding  rooms  be- 
yond the  legal  limits,  and  this  overcrowding  of  rooms  is  to  be  found  both  in  the 
tenement  houses  of  the  old  and  new  types,  and  also  in  the  rooms  of  one  and  two- 
family  houses,  which  under  the  present  building  laws  need  not  be  provided  with 
any  means  of  ventilation  to  the  outer  air. 

The  requirement  as  to  cubic  air  space  which  shall  be  provided  for  each  person 
is  so  low  that  the  seven  (7)  by  ten  (10)  foot  room  which  is  permitted  under  the 
Tenement  House  Law  is  legally  adequate  for  one  adult  and  one  minor  under  twelve. 
It  would  be  possible  to  house  practically  all  of  the  probable  population  of  New 
York  City  with  a  normal  increase  for  several  decades  in  three-family  tenements  and 
two-family  houses,  and  a  large  proportion  of  the  families  could  have  at  least  a  small 
garden.  In  1901  the  greatest  density  of  population  in  any  borough  of  London  was 
182.3  per  acre,  and  for  Greater  London  14.8. 

Mr.  Lawrence  Veiller,  a  well-known  housing  expert,  wrote  in  1905 : 
"No  conception  of  the  existing  conditions  can  be  obtained  from  any  general  state- 
ments. To  say  that  the  lower  East  Side  of  New  York  is  the  most  densely  populated 
spot  in  the  habitable  globe  gives  no  adequate  idea  of  the  real  conditions.  To  say 
that  in  one  section  of  the  City  the  density  of  population  is  1,000  to  the  acre  and 
that  the  greatest  density  of  population  in  the  most  densely  populated  part  of  Bombay 
is  but  759  to  the  acre,  in  Prague  485  to  the  acre,  in  Paris  434,  in  London  365,  in 
Glasgow  350,  in  Calcutta  204,  gives  one  no  adequate  realization  of  the  state  of  af- 
fairs. No  more  does  it,  to  say  that  in  many  city  blocks  on  the  East  Side  there  is 
often  a  population  of  from  2,000  to  3,000  persons,  a  population  equal  to  that  of  a 
good-sized  village.  The  only  way  that  one  can  understand  the  real  conditions  is  to 
go  down  into  the  streets  of  these  districts  and  see  the  thousands  of  persons  throng- 
ing them  and  making  them  impassable.  So  congested  have  become  the  conditions 
of  some  of  the  quarters  of  this  City,  that  it  is  not  an  exaggeration  to  say  that  there 
are  more  people  living  there  than  the  land  or  the  atmosphere  can  with  safety  sus- 
tain.    The  limits  have  not  only  been  reached,  but  have  long  been  passed." 

In  his  book,  "The  Housing  Problem,"  published  in  1910,  Mr.  \'ciller  makes  the 
serious  charge :  "The  conditions  in  New  York  are  without  parallel  in  the  civilized 
world.  In  no  city  of  Europe,  not  in  Naples  nor  in  Rome,  neither  in  London  nor  in 
Paris,  neither  in  Berlin,  Vienna  or  Buda-Pesth,  not  in  Constantinople,  nor  in  St. 
Petersburg,  not  in  ancient  Edinburgh  nor  modern  Glasgow,  not  in  heathen  Canton  nor 
Bombay,  are  to  be  found  such  conditions  as  prevail  in  modern  enlightened  twentieth 
century.  Christian  New  York. 

"In  no  other  city  is  the  mass  of  the  working  population  housed  as  it  is  in 
New  York,  in  tall  tenement  houses,  extending  up  into  the  air  fifty  or  sixty  feet,  and 
stretching  for  miles  in  every  direction  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  In  no  other 
city  are  there  the  same  appalling  conditions  with  regard  to  lack  of  light  and  air 
in  the  homes  of  the  poor.  In  no  other  city  is  there  as  great_  congestion  and  over- 
crowding. In  no  other  city  do  the  poor  so  suffer  from  excessive  rents ;  in  no  other 
city  are  the  conditions  of  city  life  so  complex.  Nowhere  are  the  evils  of  modern 
life  so  varied,  nowhere  are  the  problems  so  difficult  of  solution." 


86 

The  Commission  have  investigated  many  phases  and  conditions  of  this  conges- 
tion. Jt  is  apparent  that  the  congestion  to  which  Mr.  Veiller  referred  so  strongly 
in  1905  is  increasing  in  the  sections  of  the  City  which  had  even  in  that  year  the 
greatest  density  of  popuhuion  per  acre. 

1.     Density  of  Population  Per  Acre  in  Large  Areas. 

In  1905,  742,135  people  lived  on  2,418.5  acres  south  of  14th_ street  in  Manhattan 
at  a  density  for  the  entire  area  of  306.8  per  acre.  Between  1905  and  1910  the  popu- 
lation of  this  area  had  increased  by  27,165  to  a  total  of  769,300  and  the  density  per 
acre  had  increased  by  11.2  per  acre  to  318  per  acre.  In  1905  18.48  per  cent,  of 
the  total  population  of  New  York  City  were  living  on  1.15  per  cent,  of 
the  total  area  of  the  City,  and  by  1910  this  had  fallen  to  16.13  per  cent,  of  the  City's 
population,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  increase  in  density  of  the  population  per  acre 
had  increased  11.2  in  the  five  years.  This  increase  of  population  in  these  five  years 
was  five  times  as  great  as  the  total  number  of  persons  per  acre  in  1910,  in  both  the 
boroughs  of  Queens  and  Richmond,  and  this,  although  during  these  five  years  scores 
of  high  multiple-family  tenements  were  torn  down  for  public  improvements,  notably 
the  approaches  of  the  two  bridges,  the  Manhattan  and  the  Williamsburg. 

In  1905  slightly  over  one-sixth  of  the  City's  population  were  living  below  14th 
street  in  Manhattan  on  one  eighty-seventh  of  the  City's  area,  in  1910  slightly  under 
■one-sixth  of  the  City's  entire  population.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  too,  that  in  this 
district  are  located  factories  employing  nearly  one-half  of  the  total  number  of  work- 
ers in  factories  in  the  City  and  a  large  proportion  of  the  ofiKce  buildings  of  the  City. 

In  1910,  375,316  people,  7.86  per  cent.,  nearly  one-thirteenth  of  the  City's  population, 
lived  in  the  10th,  11th  and  17th  Wards  of  Manhattan  at  a  density  of  over  600  to 
the  acre.  64,651  people,  or  1.34  per  cent,  of  the  City's  population,  lived  in  the  13th 
Ward  of  Manhattan  at  an  average  density  of  591.3  to  the  acre.  102.108  people,  2.11  per 
■cent,  of  the  City's  population,  lived  in  the  Seventh  Ward  of  Manhattan  at  an  average 
density  of  495.6  per  acre,  1.450,838  people,  30.43  per  cent.,  nearly  one-third  of  the  City's 
population,  lived  in  the  12th,  15th,  18th  and  22d  Wards  of  Manhattan,  and  the  10th, 
13th,  14th,  15th.  19th  25th  and  28th  Wards  of  Brooklyn  at  a  density  of  100  to  149  to 
the  acre;  1,001,023  people,  20.99  per  cent.,  approximately  one-fifth  of  the  City's  popu- 
lation, lived  in  the  Second  and  Third  Wards  of  Manhattan,  the  29th,  30th,  31st  and 
32d  Wards  of  Brooklyn  and  in  the  Boroughs  of  Richmond,  Queens  and  The  Bronx 
at  a  density  of  less  than  25  to  the  acre.  The  10th.  11th  and  17th  \\"ards  of  Manhattan 
had  an  avera.ge  density  of  population  per  acre  of  over  600,  the  highest  being  the  17th, 
with  647.8.  while  the  13th  had  593.1.  while  the  Seventh  had  495.3.  Three  Wards  in 
Manhattan  had  a  density  of  between  200  and  299  and  the  16th  Ward  in  Brooklyn  278.8 
per  acre,  while  no  other  wards  had  a  density  of  over  200  to  the  acre,  although  five 
wards  in  Brooklyn  had  a  density  of  over  140  per  acre.  The  maximum  density  of 
Queens,  in  the  I'lrst  Ward  was  only  132. 

Population  of  Each  Borough  in  New  York  in  1900.  1905  and  1910,  and  Density  Per 
Acre  and  Increase  from  1905  to  1910. 


Popu- 

Density 

Popu- 

Density 

Popu- 

Density 

Density 

Borough. 

lation. 

Per 

lation, 

Per 

lation, 

Per 

Per 

1900. 

Acre. 

1905. 

Acre. 

1910. 

Acre. 

Acre. 

Manhattan    . 

.1,850.0<;3 

131.8 

2.112.380 

149.8 

2,331,542 

166.1 

15.6 

The  Bronx  . 

.    200,507 

7.7 

271,630 

10.4 

430,980 

16.5 

6.1 

Brooklyn     .  . 

.1,166,582 

23.48 

1,358.686 

27.27 

1,634,351 

32.89 

5.5 

Queens     .  .  . . 

.    1 52.9<)9 

1.8 

198.240 

2.3 

204,041 

2.46 

0.4 

Richmond   .  . 

.      67.021 

1.8 

72.845 

1.9 

85.969 

2.34 

0.3 

Greater  N.  Y 

.3,437,202 

16.4 

4,013,781 

19.1 

4,766,883 

22.7 

3.5 

2.     Block  Density  Per  Acre  in  Different  Boroughs. 

The  density  of  population  per  acre  of  a  ward  or  any  large  area  may  be  extremely 
misleading,  both  because  the  areas  of  wards  vary  so  greatly,  as  from  78  acres  in  the 
Second  Ward  of  Manhattan  to  36,600  acres  in  the  Fourth  Ward  of  Queens,  and 
because  a  small  part  of  a  ward  may  be  very  closely  built  up  with  high  tenements 
while  the  larger  part  of  the  ward  is  entirely  unimproved,  and  this  fact  reduces  the 
density  for  the  entire  area  to  a  minimum  most  misleading. 

The  density  of  population  per  acre  in  blocks  is  probably  the  most  accurate 
measure  of  actual   density. 

There  were  in  Manhattan,  in  1905,  122  blocks  with  a  density  of  750  to  the  acre, 
and  30  blocks  with  a  density  of  1,000  or  over  to  the  acre,  counting  in  the  acreage  of 
such  blocks   one-half  of  the  area  of  the  bounding  streets. 


87 

In  1905  the  average  density  per  acre  of  all  these  blocks  was  967;  in  1910  it  had 
fallen  to  952,  a  decrease  of  15  per  acre;  the  population  of  all  the  blocks  had  fallen 
■from  308.396  in  mS  to  303,839  in  1910— that  is,  4,557.  Fifty-three  of  the  blocks 
showed  a  decrease  in  population,  the  most  marked  case  being  the  block  bounded  by 
West  61st  St.  and  62d  st.,  Amsterdam  and  West  End  aves.,  whose  population  fell  in 
the  five  years  from  6,173  to  3,501,  a  total  reduction  of  2,672,  or  nearly  three-tifths  of 
the  total  increase  in  population  of  the  entire  122  blocks.  The  density  of  population 
of  this  block  fell  from  1,145  to  649  per  acre,  a  reduction  of  496  per  acre.  The  block 
with  the  largest  increase  in  population  is  that  bounded  by  Grand,  Broome,  Ridge  and 
Pitt  sts.,  whose  population  increased,  from  1905  to  1910,  from  1,843  to  2,552 — that  is, 
by  709,  and  whose  density  of  population  increased  from  910  to  1,260,  or  350  per 
acre.     This  block  is  in  the  centre  of  the  congested  East  Side. 

Of  the  fifty-three  blocks,  the  population   of  which   decreased   from   1905  to   1910, 

The  density  per  acre  of  23  blocks  decreased  under  50  per  acre. 

The  density  per  acre  of  14  blocks  decreased  from  50  to  100  per  acre. 

The  density  per  acre  of  7  blocks  decreased  from  101  to  200  per  acre. 

The  density  per  acre  of  1  block  decreased  from  201  to  300  per  acre. 

The  density  per  acre  of  4  blocks  decreased  from  300  to  400  per  acre. 

The  density  per  acre  of  4  blocks  decreased  over  400  per  acre. 
Of  the  sixty-five  blocks,  whose  population  increased  from  1905  to  1910, 

The  density  per  acre  of  28  blocks  increased  under  50  per  acre. 

The  densit}-  per  acre  of  22  blocks  increased  from  50  to  100  per  acre. 

The  density  per  acre  of  9  blocks  increased  from  101  to  200  per  acre. 

The  density  per  acre  of  5  blocks  increased  from  200  to  301  per  acre. 

The  density  per  acre  of  1   block  increased  over  400  per  acre. 
The  density  of  population  of  one  block  remained  stationary  and  of  three  is  un- 
known for  1910. 

Of  the  114  blocks  below  14th  st.  which  had  in  1905  a  density  of  750  or  over  per 
acre,  the  population  of  63  increased,  and  of  51  decreased  from  1905  to  1910.  The 
total  population  in  these  blocks  decreased  from  1905  to  1910  by  2,393,  while  the  total 
population  south  of  14th  st.  increased  27.165. 

Only  4  of  the  122  blocks  which  had  in  1905  a  density  of  over  750  to  the  acre  are 
above   14th   st. 

A  study  of  the  changes  in  density  of  population  from  1905  to  1910  of  28  important 
blocks  in  the  lower  part  of  The  Bronx,  which  had  in  1905  a  population  of  1,000  or 
over,  is  even  more  significant,  because  here  many  of  these  very  blocks  are  blocks 
practically  unimproved,  and  within  walking  distance  of  some  are  scores  of  acres  of 
vacant  land. 

In  1905  the  total  population  of  these  28  blocks  was  37,241  ;  in  1910  it  had  increased 
to  42,897,  a  gain  of  5,656.  'The  average  density  per  acre  of  all  the  blocks  was  360  in 
1905,  and  414  in  1910,  an  increase  of  54  per  acre,  or  over  one-seventh  in  the  five  years. 
The  population  of  20  blocks  just  three-quarters  increased  during  this  period;  that  of 
eight  decreased. 

Three  blocks  had  in  1910  a  density  per  a<.re  of  over  600  as  follows :  The  block 
bounded  by  Kelly  st.,  Westchester,  Wales  and  Robbins  aves.,  of  633;  the  block  bounded 
by  East  146th  and  147th  sts.,  St.  Anns  and  Brook  aves.,  of  610;  the  block  bounded  by 
East  136th  and  137th  sts.,  Willis  ave.  and  Brown  place,  of  607.  The  population  of 
the  first  of  these  increased  in  the  five  years  from  1,227  to  1,633,  and  the  population  of 
the  block  bounded  by  140th  and  141st  sts.,  Willis  and  Brook  aves.,  increased  from 
1,601  to  2,298 — that  is.  by  697,  or  over  two-fifths.  The  increase  in  density  of  only 
eight  of  the  blocks  was  under  50  per  cent.;  of  seven  between  50  and  100;  of  four 
between  101  and  200,  and  of  one  over  200,  while  the  decrease  in  density  of  six  out  of 
seven  blocks  was  under  50  per  acre.  Several  blocks  in  The  Bronx  are  rapidly  becom- 
ing^as  densely  populated  as  the  great  majority  of  the  congested  blocks  in  Manhattan, 
and  these  Bronx  blocks  are  also  occupied  chiefly  by  artisans  and  factory  operatives 
and  laborers. 

The  Sixteenth  Ward  of  Brooklyn  had  in  1905  a  population  of  61,136,  with  an 
average  density  per  acre  of  249.3.  By  1910  the  population  increased  to  68,253;  the 
density  to  278.8  per  aero. 

There  were  in  1905  23  blocks  in  the  ward  with  a  density  of  300  per  acre  or  over. 
The  average  density  per  acre  of  all  of  these  blocks  in  1905  was  365 ;  in  1910  it  was 
401,  an  increase  of  36  per  acre,  or  about  9  per  cent.  Six  of  the  23  blocks  had  a 
density  of  between  300  to  350  per  acre;  eight  of  between  351  and  400;  five  of  between 
401  and  450;  two  of  between  451  and  500,  while  the  block  bounded  by  Boerum,  Mc- 
Kibben  and  Humboldt  sts.  and  Graham  ave.,  had  a  density  of  540  per  acre,  and  the 
block  bounded  by  Boerum  st.,  McKibben  st.,  Bushwick  ave.  and  Humboldt  ave.,  a 
density  of  495  per  acre.     The  same  fluctuation  in  density  of  individual  blocks  occurred 


in  this  period  as  in  the  blocks  in  Manhattan  which  had  in  1905  a  density  of  750  per 
acre  or  over,  but  the  net  density  of  population  per  acre  of  the  244.8  acres  of  the  ward, 
the  most  densely  populated  in  Brooklyn,  nevertheless  increased  by  nearly  30  people 
per  acre. 

Of  the  23  blocks  under  consideration,  nearly  half  decreased  in  density,  but  nine 
of  them  by  under  50  per  acre  and  only  two  by  over  50;  none  by  over  100.  The  block 
bounded  by  Boerum  and  McKibben  and  Humboldt  sts.  and  Graham  ave.  increased  in 
density  by  174  per  acre. 

Six  of  the  23  blocks  increased  under  50  per  acre,  three  between  50  and  100,  and 
three  between  101  and  200.  A  large  proportion  of  most  of  these  blocks  have  only  a 
few  high  tenements,  so  that  the  maximum  probable  density  of  many  is  at  least  600 
to  the  acre  if  the  nresent  development  continues. 

3.     Room  Overcrotvding. 

There  has  not  been  any  systematic  effort  to  prevent  room  overcrowding  in  the 
City,  but  the  data  as  to  the  extent  and  seriousness  of  this  evil  has  been  secured  from 
various  reliable  sources.  The  Tenement  House  Commissioners,  at  the  request  of 
this  Comrnission,  prosecuted  an  investigation  in  a  few  crowded  blocks  and  found 
the  following  conditions;  parents,  children,  and  three  to  eight  adult  boarders,  occu- 
pied apartments  of  two,  three  and  four  rooms. 

Number  of  Rooms  Having  Indicated  Number  of  Occupants — (a  Minor  Under  12  is 

Counted  as  Half  an  Adult). 

Occupants   ^         1         li^        2        2^        3        ZYi        4        Ay2 

Number  of  rooms —      20        6  58      30  90      15  50        3 

Occupants   5        Sli        6        6/.        7        73/<        8        8^       10 

Number  of  Rooms  11        2  9         1  5—1—2 

Extent  of  Overcrowding  in  Rooms  Occupied.     Number  of   Persons  in  Each   Room, 
Over  V/z  Per  Room.     (A  Minor  Under  12  is  Counted  as  Half  an  Adult.) 

Occupants   J4         1         VA        2        2^^        3        3^        4        4^ 

Number  of  rooms 56      28      82  15      51  3        9  3        9 

Occupants   5        SYz        6        7        7^        8        8^        10 

Number   of    rooms 15  1      —        —        —        2  — 

An  investigation,  however,  made  in  February,  1910,  by  the  "Settlements"  in 
various  sections  of  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  and  some  of  the  congested  districts 
of  Brooklyn,  showed  that  of  91  families  reported,  less  than  one-half  had  two 
occupants  or  less  per  room,  while  one-fourth  had  2^  occupants  per  room,  one- 
seventh  had  three,  one-ninth  had  Zy^,  and  one-eighth  had  4  occupants  to  a  room, 
or  over.  Two  cases  were  discovered  of  six  occupants  in  a  room;  one  in  a  basement, 
and  one  in  an  attic.  One-sixth  of  the  families  reported  upon  were  living  in  two- 
room  apartments;  one-half  in  three-room  apartments.  In  each  case  the  number  of 
rooms  in  the  apartment  included  the  kitchen.  The  families  investigated  were  typical 
self-supporting  families.  The  Nurses  Settlement  on  Henry  st.  reported  that  95  per 
cent  of  the  families  which  they  knew  have  three  occupants  per  room  or  over.  This 
overcrowding  existed  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  from  5  to  15  per  cent  of  the  apart- 
ments available  are,  in  most  parts  of  Manhattan,  constantly  vacant. 

4.    Intensive  Use  of  Land. 

(a)     Proportion  of  area  of  blocks  covered  by  buildings  in   1908: 

In  Manhattan,  over  one-fourth  of  the  blocks  were  covered  solidly  by  buildings 
or  had  less  than  11  per  cent  of  the  area  not  covered,  and  over  half  of  the  blocks 
had  less  than  21  per  cent  of  the  area  not  covered  by  buildings. 

In  the  built-up  sections  of  Brooklyn,  nearly  one-fifth  of  the  blocks  were  cov- 
ered solidly  by  buildings,  or  had  less  than  11  per  cent  of  the  site  not  covered,  and 
over  one-third  of  the  blocks  had  less  than  21  per  cent  of  the  site  not  covered,  while 
two-thirds  of  the  blocks  had  not  over  one-third  of  the  area  devoted  to  courts  and 
yards. 

In  the  built-up  section  of  the  23d  Ward  of  The  Bronx,  one-fourteenth  of  the 
blocks  were  solidly  covered  by  buildings,  or  had  less  than  11  per  cent  not  covered, 
and  nearly  one-fifth  had  less  than  21  per  cent  of  the  area  not  covered,  while  one-half 
of  the  blocks  had  30  per  cent  of  the  area  in  courts  and  yards. 


89 

(b)  Use  of  land  below  Chambers  st.,  New  Chambers  st.  and  James  slip,  in  Man- 
hattan.    How  the  area  below  Chambers  st.  is  utilized : 

About  two-thirds  of  the  area  below  Chambers  st.  was  covered  by  buildings  in 
1908.  Of  this  covered  area,  nearly  one-third  was  covered  by  buildings  five  stories 
high ;  nearly  one-tenth  was  covered  by  buildings  six  stories  high ;  nearly  one-eleventh 
was  covered  by  buildings  twelve  stories  or  over. 

(c)  Cubage  or  volume  of  buildings: 

Mayor  McClellan's  first  Building  Code  Revision  Commission  recommended  that 
no  building  should  exceed  a  cubage  or  volume  of  more  than  174  times  the  area  of 
the  lot,  that  is,  that  it  should  not  exceed  a  volume  equivalent  to  174  times  the  area 
of  the  lot  or  a  solid  building  of  fourteen  stories  covering  the  entire  lot. 

In  1907  there  were,  however,  below  Chambers  st.  eight  office  buildings  having  a 
cubage  or  volume  of  over  250  times  the  area  of  the  lot,  and  eleven  office  buildings 
having  a  cubage  of  over  200  times  the  area  of  the  lot,  while  one  had  a  cubage  of  313 
times  the  area,  an  excess  of  139,  or  more  than  three-quarters  over  the  cubage  recom- 
mended. 

5.  Height  of  Tenements. 

There  were  in  1908,  out  of  a  total  of  71,922  tenements  in  Manhattan,  8,761  tene- 
ments six  stories  high  or  over;  in  the  23d  Ward  of  The  Bronx,  out  of  12,181  tene- 
ments, 1,812  tenements  five  stories  high  or  over;  and  in  the  1st  to  7th,  inclusive,  9th, 
10  to  17,  inclusive,  and  the  20th  to  26th,  inclusive.  Wards  of  Brooklyn,  comprising 
most  of  the  built-up  section,  out  of  63,649  tenements,  722i,  or  about  one-ninetieth, 
five  stories  or  over.  (Many  tenements  are  six  stories  high  in  front  and  a  lesser 
number  in  the  rear,  and  each  number  of  stories  is  counted.) 

Of  the  tenements  for  which  plans  were  filed  in  1909  and  1910,  in  Manhattan, 
out  of  a  total  of  667  only  about  one-sixth  (109)  were  under  six  stories  high. 

In  The  Bronx,  out  of  a  total  of  1,855,  nearly  two-thirds  (1,158)  were  five; 
stories  or  over.  t 

In  Brooklyn,  out  of  a  total  of  1,563.  only  about  one-thirtieth  (54),  were  five 
stories  or  over. 

In  Queens,  out  of  a  total  of  443,  only  one  was  over  four  stories.  Of  the  five 
tenements  in  Richmond,  two  were  two  stories,  two  were  three  stories,  and  one 
over  six  stories. 

Of  the  total  4,533  tenements  for  which  plans  were  filed  in  New  York,  613 
were  six  stories;  1,137,  about  one-fourth,  five  stories;  and  2,649,  about  three-fifths, 
four  stories  high  or  less,  more  than  one-fourth  being  three  stories  or  less. 

6.  Multiple  Family  Tenements. 

Tenements  of  this  type  are  for  the  accommodation  of  several  families,  and  of 
these  tenements  plans  were  filed  in  1909  and  1910  as  follows :  In  Manhattan,  of  667 
only  272  provided  for  four  families  or  less  per  floor.  In  The  Bronx,  out  of  1,855, 
imly  438,  or  approximately  one-fourth,  provided  for  over  four  families  per  floor, 
while  855  provided  for  two  families  or  less  per  floor,  approximately  one-half  of  the 
total  number.  In  Brooklyn,  out  of  1,563  tenements,  1,345,  or  over  four-fifths,  provided 
for  two  families  or  less  per  floor,  and  321,  or  one-fifth,  only  one  family  per  floor, 
although  there  were  in  Brooklyn  164  tenements  which  provided  for  four  families 
per  floor  or  over.  Out  of  443  tenements  in  Queens,  422  provided  for  two  families 
or  less  per  floor,  and  the  largest  number  of  families  to  the  floor  was  four,  in  eleven 
tenements. 

In  Richmond,  two  tenements  provided  for  one  family  to  the  floor,  and  three  for 
two  families. 

In  New  York  City  as  a  whole,  out  of  4,533  tenements  for  which  plans  were  filed 
in  1909  and  1910,  485,  or  approximately  one-tenth,  provided  for  one  family  per 
floor;  2.641  provided  for  two  families  or  less  per  floor;  approximately  one-fifth  pro- 
vided for  five  families  per  floor  or  more. 

7.  Heights  of  Buildings  Other  Than  Tenements  in  1907  and  1908. 

In  Manhattan,  out  of  17,357  buildings  used  for  all  purposes,  except  tenements, 
nearly  seven-eighths  were  six  stories  high  or  less,  and  only  one-hundredth  were  13 
stories  high  or  over.  In  Brooklyn,  out  of  10.439  such  buildings,  only  about  one- 
hundredth  were  over  six  stories  high.  In  the  23d  Ward  of  The  Bronx,  out  of  2,735 
such  buildings,  only  14  were  over  six  stories  high. 

8.  Office  Construction. 

There  were  in  office  buildings  below  Chambers  st.,  New  Chambers  st.  and  James 
slip  in  1908,  allowing  110  square  feet  to  each  occupant,  accommodations  for  nearly 
130,000  people. 


((     U  N  I  V  t  K  S  I  T 


.C 


(Jt 


'^IF 


90 

In  office  buildings  constructed  in  1908  tliere  were  provided  accommodations  be- 
low Cortlandt  st.  and  Maiden  lane  for  15,575  persons,  allowing  110  square  feet  to 
each  occupant.  A  single  building,  however,  such  as  the  City  Investing  Building  or  the 
Hudson  Terminal  Buildings,  provides  accommodations  for  from  8,000  to  10,000  people. 

As  one  measure  in  solving  the  housing  problem,  the  creation  of  workingmen's 
colonics  has  been  tried  by  several  American  cities.  Bearing  in  mind  the  particular 
needs  of  each  section  and  the  present  ownership  of  land  in  New  York  City,  this 
method  can  only  be  referred  to  by  the  Committee  as  a  possible  means  of  inter- 
esting private  capital,  as  is  now  proposed  by  one  of  our  larger  railroad  corporations 
in  establishing  colonies  adjacent  to  their  yards  or  works.  Their  plan  is  outlined  in 
the  following  statement: 

"Extract  from  the  'American  Contractor.' " — Workingmen's  Colonies. 

"The  announcement  recently  made  by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  that  a  number 
of  houses  to  be  occupied  by  its  employees  will  be  erected  in  Harrison,  N.  J.,  and  in 
Sunnyside,  L.  I.,  has  called  attention  to  the  movement  inaugurated  in  European 
•cities  for  the  proper  housing  of  the  working  classes.  This  movement  has  made  rapid 
strides  in  England,  and  'garden  cities'  have  sprung  up  in  the  last  few  years  in 
nearly  all  industrial  centres. 

"It  is  not  known  whether  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  intends  to  build  entire  cities 
for  its  employees  or  whether  the  project  of  erecting  houses  is  limited  to  a  certain 
number.  New  York  builders  have  been  asked  to  submit  estimates  for  certain  types 
of  cottages,  and  as  the  officials  of  the  railroad  never  furnish  information  until  all 
arrangements  for  the  carrying  out  of  a  project  have  been  completed,  the  details  of 
the  housing  plans  will  not  be  made  public  for  the  present.  It  was  stated  last  week, 
says  the  'New  York  Sun,'  at  the  offices  of  the  company,  that  the  real  estate  com- 
mittee of  the  Board  of  Directors  is  considering  the  matter  and  will  report  at  the 
next  meeting. 

"London,  Birmingham  and  other  large  cities  have  within  the  last  two  or  three 
years  made  attempts  to  solve  the  housing  problem.  The  town  planning  act  passed 
by  Parliament  last  year  gave  an  impetus  to  the  movement,  and  garden  cities,  founded 
either  by  large  employers  or  by  societies,  are  flourishing.  The  new  movement  must 
not  be  confounded  with  colonies  and  communities  started  by  Pourier,  Rapp,  Owen 
and  other  economists  and  religious  teachers,  who  based  their  undertakings  on  the 
subordination  of  individual  life. 

"The  latest  scheme  for  the  development  of  towns  is  a  mild  form  of  paternalism. 
An  expression  of  the  Right  Hon.  William  Kendrick,  who  is  interested  in  the  'Har- 
borne  Tenants'  on  this  question,  gives  the  aim  of  the  movement  in  brief  as  follows : 
'Employers  of  labor  are  answerable  for  calling  together  in  a  limited  space  many  thou- 
sands of  operatives.  If  they  have  any  regard  for  the  kind  of  houses  the  employees 
live  in  they  have  a  great  responsibility,  and  they  ought  to  come  forward  and  help  in 
this  work.  They  should  not  leave  it  to  the  City  Council  to  purchase  a  little  space 
here  and  there  at  enormous  expense.  They  want  City  councillors  and  suburban 
district  councils  to  have  the  power  to  say  to  building  speculators.  "You  shall  not 
crowd  houses  irrespective  of  decency  and  the  health  of  the  children  and  inhabitants 
of  the  houses."  In  the  meantime  let  them  be  up  and  .doing,  for  ere  the  Government 
does  tliis  they  might  have  to  wait  some  time.' 

"The  Hampstead  Gardens  and  the  Bourneville  Village  Trust  are  the  largest  and 
most  successful  of  these  towns.  The  idea  carried  out  in  this  scheme  has  not  as  yet 
been  copied  on  this  side  of  the  ocean,  but  signs  are  not  wanting  that  American  cities 
will  witness  within  a  short  time  a  similar  movement  of  town  building.  The  socialistic, 
or  rather,  co-operative,  theory  underlying  the  erection  of  houses  belonging  to  all  and 
to  no  one  in  particular  has  appealed  to  the  officials  of  Milwaukee,  who  have  despatched 
an  emissary  to  Europe  to  study  the  movement  and  to  return  prepared  for  the  man- 
agement of  a  similar  project  to  be  fostered  and  fathered  by  the  municipality. 

"The  Hampstead  Garden  Trust  furnishes  workmen  employed  in  London  a  cottage 
with  a  garden  at  a  rental  considerably  less  than  they  would  be  compelled  to  pay  for 
a  small  flat  in  the  city.  The  fare  from_  Hampstead  Garden  to  London  is  two  pence. 
Different  parts  of  the  town  are  set  aside  for  playgrounds.  Houses  are  never  sold, 
only  leased  at  a  rental  of  $150  to  $175  a  year.  More  than  seventy  acres  are  used  for 
workmen's  cottages,  while  the  remainder  are  set  aside  for  shops,  villas  and  larger 
houses  standing  in  an  acre  or  two  of  pleasure  ground.  All  tenants  are  joint  owners. 
It  is  claimed  for  the  system  that  in  principle  it  solves  the  question  of  the  unearned 
increment,  for  all  the  gain  under  this  head  does  not  go  to  the  shareholders,  who  are 
the  tenants,  but  by  swelling  the  surplus  profits  it  necessarily  benefits  all  the  tenant 
members  of  the  trust  in  the  shape  of  increased  dividends  on  their  rentals. 

"The  Bourneville  Village  Trust,  which  was  founded  by  an  employer  in  Birming- 
ham for  the  purpose  of  reducing  the  cost  of  living  of  his  workmen  and  providing 


91 

tliem  with  sanitary  and  conifortalile  houses,  has  been  tlie  most  successful  of  the 
enterprises.  The  founder,  George  L'adbury,  stated  in  the  deed  by  vvliich  he  established 
the  trust  that  he  was  desirous  of  securing  to  workers  in  factories  some  of  the  ad- 
vantages of  outdoor  village  life,  with  opportunities  for  the  natural  and  healthful 
occupation  of  cultivating  the  soil. 

"The  houses  and  land  in  Bourneville  Village  are  not  sold  outright.  The  property 
is  leased  to  families  for  a  term  of  999  years.  Covenants  in  the  leases  secure  the 
accomplishment  of  the  purpose  of  the  founder.  The  village  is  administered  by  trus- 
tees, and  the  income,  whether  from  rents  or  any  other  source,  is  employed  in  laying 
out  the  estate,  building  more  houses  and  purchasing  other  estates  to  be  developed 
in  the  same  way  as  Bourneville.  Care  has  been  taken  in  laying  out  the  village  that 
it  shall  be  picturesque  as  well  as  healthful.  There  are  about  six  houses  to  the  acre 
and  the  majority  of  the  houses  have  two  sitting  rooms,  a  kitchen  and  three  bedrooms. 
The  cheapest  houses  are  let  at  $1.10  and  the  largest  houses  at  $1.90  a  week.  Water 
rents  and  sewer  taxes  are  paid  by  the  tenants." 

Insanitary  Buildings. 

A  report  on  the  demolition  of  insanitary  buildings  and  proceedings  in  such 
cases  is  attached  as  an  appendix  to  the  general  report,  and  shows  the  methods  and 
powers  now  vested  in  the  several  departments  of  New  York  City,  the  abatement 
of  such  nuisances,  and  the  powers  and  procedure  of  other  American  cities. 

The  investigations  of  the  committee  have  been  seriously  hampered  by  the  lack  of 
funds  required  to  make  full  and  complete  studies  and  to  submit  such  data  and  maps 
as  would  illustrate  more  clearly  than  compiled  statistics  the  conclusions  they  have 
reached.  It  would  seem,  therefore,  that  the  appointment  of  permanent  commissions 
or  boards  empowered  to  investigate  the  conditions  of  our  city  fully  and  provided  with 
the  necessary  office  equipment  and  help  required  to  take  up  the  matters  in  detail  is 
the  only  logical  solution  of  the  problem,  as  ordinary  committee  work  served  only 
to  barely  scratch  the  surface  of  the  problem  and  not  to  delve  into  the  matter  fully. 

The  committee  have,  therefore,  recommended  the  creation  of  several  such  boards. 

Recommend.\tions  of  the  Committee  for  Relieving  the   Presext  Coxgestiox  and 

Preventing  Future  Congestion  of  Population. 

1.    Restriction  of  the  Height  or  Volume  of  Buildings  Other  Than  Teiienicnis. 

(a)  That  no  building  hereafter  to  be  erected  in  Manhattan,  south  of  the  south 
side  of  181st  street,  shall  exceed  a  cubage  or  volume  of  174  times  the  area  of  the 
lot,  and  that  no  building  be  altered  to  exceed  this  cubage.  This  means  that  no  build- 
ing shall  exceed  a  height  of  174  feet  covering  the  entire  area  of  the  lot.  If  each 
story  were  12  feet  in  height  this  would  permit  of  a  height  of  14  stories  with  a  base- 
ment, which  would  not  in  any  way  confiscate  existing  land  values,  since  a  large  part 
of  the  values  of  the  site  are  due  to  accessibility  to  the  multitudes  of  population  on 
thoroughfares  for  stores  and  exchange  purposes  on  the  first  floor. 

(b)  That  no  building  hereafter  to  be  erected  in  any  part  of  New  York  City 
except  in  Manhattan,  south  of  the  south  side  of  181st  street,  shall  exceed  a  cubage 
or  volume  of  120  times  the  area  of  the  lot,  and  that  no  building  in  this  district 
shall  be  altered  to  exceed  this  cubage.  This  means  a  restriction  to  about  ten  stories 
covering  the  entire  area  of  the  lot. 

(c)  That  every  building  over  four  stories  or  50  feet  in  height  to  be  occupied 
as  a  factory,  loft,  warehouse  or  other  miscellaneous  buildings  be  of  fireproof  con- 
struction, and  may  not  have  any  woodwork. 

(d)  That  when  the  height  of  any  building  except  one  to  be  used  as  a  factory, 
loft,  warehouse  or  other  miscellaneous  buildings  does  not  exceed  one  hundred  feet 
(instead  of  twelve  stories,  nor  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  as  provided  in 
the  present  building  code),  that  the  doors  and  windows  and  their  frames,  the  trims 
the  casings,  the  interior  finish  when  filled  solid  at  the  back  with  fireproof  material, 
and  the  floor  boards  and  sleepers  directly  underneath  may  be  of  wood. 

(e)  That  when  the  height  of  any  fireproof  building  except  one  to  be  used  as  a 
factory,  loft,  warehouse  or  other  miscellaneous  building  exceeds  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet,  that  no  wood  may  be  used  in  the  floors  or  as  sleepers  even  if  treated  by 
some  process  now  approved  by  the  Board  of  Buildings  to  render  them  fireproof,  nor 
for  the  inside  window  frames  and.  sash  doors,  trim  and  other  interior  finish  as  per- 
mitted by  the  present  building  code. 

(f)  That  no  factory  or  loft  building  hereafter  to  be  erected  shall  exceed  a 
cubage  or  volume  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  times  the  area  of  the  lot,  and  that 
no  building  hereafter  altered  to  exceed  this  cubage  or  volume  shall  be  used  for  fac- 
tory or  loft  purposes. 


92 

2.  Restriction  Upon  the  Lot  Occupancy  of  Buildings  Other  Than  Tenements. 

(a)  That  at  the  rear  of  every  factory  and  loft  building  hereafter  erected,  there 
shall  be  provided  a  yard  open  and  unobstructed  from  the  street  level  to  the  sky  across 
the  entire  width  of  the  lot  and  of  a  depth  equal  to  one-tenth  of  the  height  of  the 
building,  but  in  no  case  less  than  one-tenth  of  the  depth  of  the  lot,  or  if  this  lot  be 
under  one  hundred  feet  in  depth,  of  a  depth  of  less  than  ten  feet,  and  that  no  prem- 
ises or  building  hereafter  erected  shall  be  converted  to  or  occupied  as  a  factory  or 
loft  that  does  not  conform  to  this  requirement. 

(b)  That  there  shall  be  in  addition  to  the  area  of  a  lot  now  required  to  be  un- 
occupied a  yard  extending  across  the  rear  of  lot  of  every  dwelling  to  be  occupied 
by  more  than  one  family  equal  to  10  per  cent,  of  the  depth  of  the  lot  unobstructed 
from  the  ground  level  to  the  sky,  and  all  rooms  of  such  dwellings  shall  open  and 
ventilate  upon  a  street,  yard  or  court  not  less  than  4  feet  wide  or  upon  an  offset  to 
such  court  the  depth  of  which  does  not  exceed  the  width  of  same. 

3.  Restrictions  Upon  the  Height  of  Tenements. 

(a)  That  no  tenement  house  hereafter  erected  shall  exceed  in  height  the  width 
of  the  widest  street  upon  which  it  stands,  and  that  no  tenement  shall  be  increased 
in  height,  so  that  it  shall  exceed  in  height  the  width  of  the  widest  street  upon  which 
it   stands. 

(b)  That  no  tenement  house  hereafter  erected  in  the  City  of  New  York,  except 
in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  south  of  the  south  side  of  181st  street,  shall  exceed 
four  stories  in  height,  except  that  for  every  fifteen  per  centum  of  the  lot  area  left  un- 
occupied, less  than  the  maximum  occupancy  now  legally  permissible,,  an  additional 
story  shall  be  permitted  and  a  tenement  house  may  be  five  stories  high  without  being 
of  fireproof  construction  if  it  occupy  fifteen  per  centum  less  of  the  lot  area  than  now 
legally  permissible. 

(c)  That  every  tenement  house  hereafter  erected  exceeding  four  stories  or 
parts  of  stories  or  fifty  feet  in  height  above  the  curb  level  shall  be  a  fireproof  tene- 
ment house,  and  that  no  tenement  house  be  altered  so  as  to  exceed  such  height 
without  being  made  a  fireproof  tenement  house. 

(d)  That  tenements  in  outlying  districts  of  the  city  be  restricted  to  three  stories 
high  and  an  equivalent  restriction  be  put  upon  the  volume  or  cubage  of  buildings  other 
than  tenements,  and  that  the  Board  of  Aldermen  and  Board  of  Estimate  and  Ap- 
portionment should  determine  these  districts  or  zones  for  a  period  of  twenty  years. 

4.  Modifications  of  the  Tenement  House  Law  Respecting  Three-Family  Tene- 
ments to  Encourage  tlie  Construction  of  These  Small  Tenements  with  Few  Families 
as  Follows: 

(a)  That  buildings  not  exceeding  30  feet  in  height  need  not  have  either  fire- 
escapes  or  stairs  extending  to  the  roof. 

(b)  That  in  tenement  houses  hereafter  erected  not  exceeding  three  stories  and 
cellar  in  height,  and  arranged  to  be  occupied  bj*  not  more  than  one  familj'  on  a  floor 
and  three  families  in  all.  in  lieu  of  stairs  there  shall  be  an  iron  ladder  to  the  roof 
placed  at  an  angle  of  60  degrees,  and  constructed  as  required  by  the  Tenement  House 
Law,  and  that  the  width  of  stairs  in  such  a  three-story  tenement  be  2  feet  9  inches. 

(c)  That  a  scuttle  shall  be  provided  for  a  three-family  tenement  24  by  36  inches, 
with  a  scuttle  cover  provided  with  a  counterbalance  weight. 

(d)  That  in  tenements  not  exceeding  three  stories  in  height,  the  stairwells  may 
be  reduced  to  a  width  of  10  inches  to  extend  from  entrance  floor  to  the  roof. 

(e)  That  windows  in  three-family  tenements  may  be  placed  in  vent  shaft  in 
existing  buildings  when  windows  are  used  to  afford  additional  light  in  halls,  pro- 
vided that  such  windows  are  stationary  and  frames  are  fireproof  and  glazed  with 
wire  glass. 

(f)  That  in  three-story  buildings  where  the  bulkhead  to  the  roof  is  omitted, 
fire  escapes  and  balconies  with  connecting  ladders  be  placed  on  the  rear  of  the 
building  in  accordance  with  such  regulations  as  may  be  adopted  by  the  Tenement 
House  Department. 

5.  Measures  to  Prevent  Room  and  Apartment  Overcrowding. 

(a)  That  no  room  in  any  tenement  house  hereafter  to  be  constructed  shall  have 
a  superficial  area  of  less  than  90  square  feet,  and  that  in  every  apartment  there 
must  be  at  least  one  room  whose  superficial  area  is  at  least  150  square  feet. 

(b)  That  no  apartment  in  a  tenement  house  or  two-family  house  shall  be  so 
overcrowded  that  there  shall  be  afforded  less  than  600  cubic  feet  of  air  space  for 
every  adult  and  300  cubic  feet  of  air  space  for  every  child  under  12  years  of  age 
occupying  such  apartment,  and  that  a  penalty  of  a  fine  not  to  exceed  $25  attach 
for  violation  of  this  provision.     The  provision  of  the  present  Tenement  House  Law 


93 

regarding  room  overcrowding  applies  to  rooms,  but  it  is  not  feasible  in  the  judgment 
of  the  committee  to  enforce  this  in  rooms,  since  they  vary  so  in  dimensions  and 
cubical  contents,  and  they  therefore  recommend  that  apartments  instead  of  rooms 
be  made  the  measure  of  .occupancy. 

(c)  That  a  placard  should  be  posted  by  the  Tenement  House  and  Health  De- 
partments in  a  conspicuous  place  in  every  apartment  of  tenement  houses,  and  in  two- 
family  houses  respectively,  calling  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  law  forbids  more 
than  the  stated  number  of  adults  and  childrLn  to  occupy  the  apartment,  and  to  the 
penalty  attaching  to  a  violation  of  this  law. 

(d)  That  no  lessee  of  any  apartment  in  any  tenement  house  shall  be  permitted 
to  take  lodgers  without  notifymg  in  writing  the  owner  or  responsible  agent  of  the 
tenement  or  dwelling,  who  shall  immediately  report  to  the  Tenement  House  De- 
partment, and  that  a  penalty  not  to  exceed  $25  shall  attach  for  violation  of  this 
provision. 

(e)  That  the  owner  or  responsible  agent  of  every  tenement  or  two-family  dwell- 
ing be  required  to  report  to  the  Tenement  House  Department  and  the  Department 
of  Health  respectively,  any  violation  of  the  law  against  overcrowding  on  the  part 
of  his  tenants  where  he  is  unable  personally  to  prevent  such  overcrowdmg  by  serving 
the  tenant  with  a  written  statement  (of  which  the  owner  is  to  keep  a  copy)  that  he 
is  violating  the  law,  and  the  lessee  of  an  apartment  in  a  tenement  house  secure  a 
license  from  the  Tenement  House  Department  and  the  lessee  of  an  apartment  m  a 
two-family  house  secure  a  license  from  the  Bureau  of  Occupancy  m  the  Department 
of  Health  before  taking  lodgers. 

(f)  That  a  Bureau  of  Occupancy  be  created  in  the  Department  of  Health 
charged  with  the  enforcement  of  the  law  against  overcrowding  in  apartments  in 
two- family  houses. 

6.     Measures  to  Promote  Health  and  Safety. 

(a)  That  when  in  the  judgment  of  the  Tenement  House  Department  the  mini- 
mum requirement  of  window  space  and  other  means  of  ventilation  required  by  the 
law  are  not  sufficient  to  make  rooms  sanitary  and  habitable,  said  department  shall  be 
empowered  upon  a  certificate  being  signed  and  certified  by  two  medical  inspectors  as  to 
the  above  facts  to  cause  the  vacating  of  said  apartment  or  part  thereof  in  the  manner 
prescribed  by  law. 

{h)  That  a  staff  of  medical  inspectors  who  are  qualified  physicians  shall  be 
assigned  b}-  the  Department  of  Health  to  the  Tenement  House  Department,  who 
shall  pass  upon  all  cases  of  vacating  insanitary  buildings  or  part  thereof  in  which 
there  may  be  any  contagious  disease  or  which  is  unfit  for  human  habitation,  except 
in  the  case  of  new  tenements  awaiting  a  certificate  of  compliance. 

(c)  That  the  Tenement  House  Department  of  The  City  of  New  York  shall  at  such 
times  and  in  such  manner  as  may  to  it  seem  best  cause  an  inspection  and  examination 
to  be  made  of  all  tenement  houses  in  The  City  of  New  York,  and  wherever  it  shall  be 
found  that  any  such  tenement  house  or  part  thereof  is  infected  with  contagious 
disease  or  that  it  is  unfit  for  human  habitation,  or  occupancy,  or  dangerous  to  life 
or  health  by  reason  of  want  of  repair  or  of  defects  in  the  drainage,  plumbing,  light- 
ing, ventilation,  or  the  construction  of  the  same,  or  by  reason  of  the  existence  on  the 
premises  of  a  nuisance  likely  to  cause  sickness  among  the  occupants  of  said  house  the 
department  shall  issue  an  order  requiring  all  persons  therein  to  vacate  such  house  or 
part  thereof  within  not  less  than  twenty-four  hours  nor  more  than  ten  days  for  the 
reasons  to  be  mentioned  in  said  order,  and  that  the  Board  of  Health  should  cause  a 
similar  inspection  and  examination  to  be  made  of  all  buildings  other  than  tenements. 

(d)  That  the  law  requiring  the  whitewashing  of  tenement  walls  every  year  be 
vigorously  enforced. 

(e)  That  in  tenement  houses  not  exceeding  four  stories  in  height  and  not  having 
more  than  two  families  on  each  floor,  with  courts  of  the  width  now  required,  a  fam- 
ily be  permitted  to  occupy  the  basement. 

(f)  That  the  names  of  the  owners  of  all  buildings  in  the  city  should  be  posted  in 
some   conspicuous   place. 

(g)  That  the  Tenement  House  Commissioner  should  be  made  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Health  with  a  vote  on  all  matters  pertaining  to  his  department. 

Statements  Submitted  to  the  Committee  on  Housing  Conditions.  Regulation  of 

BuiLDi.NGS  and  Locating  New  Settlements. 
A.     Suggestions  of  Lawrence  Veiller,  of  the  Tenement  House  Committee  of  the  Char- 
ity Organisation  Society,  to  the  Mayor's  Commission  on  Congestion. 
I    know    of    no    way    by    which    results    can  be  brought  about  unless  you  put 
into   operation   some    system   like   the   "zone"    system,    or   unless   you    enact    different 


94 

regulations  for  different  classes  of  buildings,  providing,  for  instance,  that  where,  say, 
70  per  cent,  of  the  buildings  in  a  given  block  are  to  be  used  for  business  purposes,  then 
no  residences  may  be  built,  and  vice  versa,  where  70  per  cent,  of  the  buildings  in  the 
block  are  residence  buildings,  no  business  buildings  shall  be  permitted.  These  things 
are  easy  to  suggest,  but  difficult  to  accomplish.  There  are  some  very  serious  constitu- 
tional questions  involved.  I  take  it  that  your  commission  is  familiar  with  the  decision 
in  the  case  of  Welch  vs.  Swazey,  recently  decided  by  the  United  States  Supreme 
Court,  in  which  the  decision  of  the  Massachusetts  court  was  upheld.  That  decision 
would  seem  to  point  the  way  for  carrying  out  in  New  York  some  sort  of  a  scheme 
of  classification  of  buildings  and  the  different  regulation  as  to  height  at  least  of  the 
different  classes.  But  I  believe  that  all  buildings  would  have  to  be  considered  on  the 
same  basis  in  each  section  of  the  city;  that  you  could  not  legally  permit  a  hotel  twenty 
stories  high  in  certain  parts  of  Brooklyn,  and  confine  tenement  houses  in  the  same 
part  to  four  stories  in  height.  In  other  words,  I  think  that  all  buildings  used  for 
residence  purposes  of  any  kind,  in  any  "zone"  system,  must  come  under  the  same 
regulation,  and  that  buildings  used  for  business  purposes  could  properly  come  under 
a  dift'erent  regulation.  But  beyond  this  I  do  not  believe  it  is  legally  possible  to  go. 
Now,  as  to  the  exact  proportion  of  the  block  to  be  left  uncovered  :  From  an 
ideal  point  of  view  50  per  cent,  is  desirable.  This,  of  course,  is  impossible  for  Man- 
hattan and  for  some  parts  of  The  Bronx  and  Brooklyn.  On  the  other  hand,  there 
are  large  sections  in  the  northern  part  of  The  Bronx,  also  in  Richmond  and  Queens, 
where  this  would  be  feasible  to-day,  and  in  all  of  our  outlying  districts  it  could 
easily  be  done.  In  the  other  districts  the  maximum  standard  should  be  as  high  as  real 
estate  values  and  public  sentiment  would  permit. 

I  understand  there  is  a  group  of  people  in  The  Bronx  who  have  been 
trying  to  change  the  tenement  law  in  this  regard  for  some  years  past. 
This  would,  however,  be  taking  a  backward  step  of  thirty  years.  The  law  in  1867  ap- 
plied only  to  houses  of  four  families  or  over,  but  in  1879  it  was  found  that  the  worst 
class  of  tenements  in  the  city  was  not  being  reached  because  of  this  limitation,  and  ac- 
cordingly the  law  was  amended  so  as  to  include  all  houses  containing  three  families  or 
more.  If  any  change  is  to  be  made  it  must  be  a  step  forward,  and  not  a  step  backward, 
and  we  must  look  to  the  inclusion  of  the  two-family  buildings  under  the  act  if  any 
change  is  to  be  made.  This  is  the  law  in  Chicago  and  in  some  other  cities  where  all 
two-family  houses  are  under  the  Tenement  Law. 

Mr.  Chairman :  What  do  you  think  of  the  suggestions  made  by  several  people  in 
The  Bronx,  that  the  requirements  as  to  the  thickness  of  walls,  or  certain  other  require- 
ments, should  be  modified  so  as  to  encourage  the  construction  of  three-family  houses? 
Mr.  Chairman  :  I  think  it  was  to  eliminate  certain  restrictions  of  the  Tenement 
House  Law  as  to  bulkheads  on  the  roof,  and  modifications  of  the  vent  duct  so  as  to 
lead  to  the  light  court  instead  of  to  the  yard  or  street  where  it  is  almost  impossible 
without  breaking  up  the  entire  cellar,  and  modifications  as  to  brick  filling  where  the 
wall  is  more  than  four  feet  away  and  details  of  that  character  which  do  not  materially 
affect  the  sanitary  conditions  but  yet  reduce  the  structural  cost  of  the  building  in  such 
a  manner  that  it  becomes  more,  you  might  say.  encouraging  to  the  builder  to  build 
that  type  of  house.  That  is,  the  idea  taken  is  that  the  present  Tenement  House  Law 
imposes  an  expenditure  of  approximately  $750  for  the  average  three-family  house.  The 
builder,  where  he  erects  such  a  house,  does  so  on  a  very  small  margin  and  consequently 
increases  the  cost,  in  that  manner  reducing  his  chance  of  selling,  and  consequently  the 
three-family  houses  are  almost  done  for. 

Mr.  Chairman  :  What  would  be  the  practical  eft'ect  of  the  elimination  of  these 
restrictions? 

Mr.  Veiller :  Personally.  I  know  of  no  restrictions  at  the  present  time  upon  the 
three-family  house  in  the  Tenement  Law  which  have  the  effect  of  discouraging  the 
building  of  these  houses.  I  understand  that  one  of  the  matters  of  concern  is  the  bulk- 
head;  that  a  great  many  builders  and  owners  would  like  to  get  rid  of  providing  bulk- 
heads in  buildings  of  this  class.  The  reason  for  this  desire  is  that  the  builders  want 
their  houses  to  look  like  private  houses,  and  not  like  a  flat.  As  the  houses  are  flats, 
with  all  the  objectionable  features  of  flats,  I  see  no  reason  why  that  desire  should  be 
encouraged.  But  more  important  than  this  is  the  fact  that  the  bulkhead  is  essential  for 
the  protection  of  the  inmates  in  case  of  fire.  Without  a  bulkhead  the  stairs  cannot 
extend  to  the  roof  and  the  only  means  of  access  would  be  by  means  of  ladder  and 
scuttle.  To  my  mind  this  would  be  an  unsafe  condition  to  permit  in  new  houses,  where 
there  are  three  families  and  certainly  as  many  as  fifteen  people  in  the  house.  The  ob- 
jection that  people  thus  enter  a  house  and  rob  it  is  trivial,  because,  although  the  law 
prohibits  the  fastening  of  the  bulkhead  door  with  a  lock,  it  distinctly  permits  its  being 
fastened  on  the  inside  with  a  movab'-^  bolt  and  hook.  With  regard  to  the  intake,  or 
duct,  for  ventilation  in  the  inne'  Courts :  These  are  essential  and  to  mv  mind  one  of 


95 

the  best  features  of  the  whole  Tenement  House  Law.  Without  such  ducts  there  can- 
not be  adequate  ventilation  in  inner  courts.  Generally  speaking,  I  believe  the  weakest 
feature  of  the  Tenement  House  Law  as  it  stands  to-day  is  the  three-family  house.  The 
three-family  house,  and  I  refer  to  the  new  ones  that  are  being  built,  are  an  absolute 
menace  in  case  of  fire.  The  stairs  are  wood,  all  the  floor  beams  are  of  wood,  the  par- 
titions enclosing  the  stairs  are  of  wood,  nearly  everything  is  wooden  construction  and 
extremely  dangerous.  From  a  sanitary  point  of  view  this  type  of  house  is  also  objec- 
tionable; the  courts  are  entirely  too  small,  the  public  halls  and  stairs  are  not  lighted 
directly  to  the  outer  air,  but  can  be  quite  dark  and  unventilated  except  by  a  roof  sky- 
light. I  do  not  believe  this  type  of  housing  needs  any  further  encouraging.  H  there 
is  to  be  any  legislation  on  the  subject  it  should  be  in  the  nature  _of  advance,  and  the 
three-family  type  of  buildings  should  be  made  much  better  than  it  is  from  a  sanitary 
and  structural  point  of  view. 

I  understand  Mr.  Schaeffer  to  say  that  the  present  law  imposes  an  extra  cost  of 
$750  on  each  house,  and  that  this  operates  to  prevent  or  discourage  the  construction  of 
three-family  dwellings.  That  may  be  the  argument,  but  it  is  not  the  fact.  These 
houses  need  no  encouragement — they  are  building  plenty  of  them,  as  you  can  readily 
ascertain  if  you  look  up  the  records.  The  root  of  the  whole  matter  is  to  be  found  in  a 
small  coterie  of  builders,  architects  and  owners  m  The  Bronx  who  want  to  get  away 
from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Tenement  House  Department.  They  want  to  be  free  from 
the  regulation  of  that  branch  of  the  government.  The  whole  issue  really  boils  down 
to  this,  as  you  will  readily  find  if  you  make  inquiry,  and  all  their  talk  really  amounts 
to  nothing  but  arguments'on  which  to  hang  their  wishes.  It  is  not  a  question  between 
building  three-family  houses  and  five-story  flats,  but  between  building  three-family 
houses  and  two-family  houses.  The  effect  of  the  present  restriction,  if  it  has  any 
effect  in  discouraging  building,  is  to  force  builders  to  build  two-family  houses  where 
they  otherwise  would  build  three-family  ones.  By  this  means  they  do  not  have  to- 
comply  with  any  part  of  the  Tenement  Law,  are  not  bothered  by  the  Tenement  Depart- 
ment, and  are  as  free  as  they  used  to  be  before  they  were  in  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
City  at  all. 

Mr.  Chairman :  Have  you  any  suggestions  to  make  as  to  how  the  construction  of 
these  small  three-family  houses  can  be  encouraged  by  any  changes  in  the  law? 

Mr.  Veiller :  I  don't  think  there  is  the  slightest  obstacle  in  the  law  to  prevent  their 
being  built.  They  are  being  built  in  great  numbers  wherever  land  values  make  it  worth 
while.  I  think  if  you  will  look  into  this  matter  you  will  find  that  the  reason  back  of 
this  agitation  is  that  there  are  one  or  two  individuals  in  The  Bronx  who  have  been 
building  three-story  houses  ostensibly  for  two  families,  not  complying  with  the  Tene- 
ment Law,  and  then  later  telling  the  purchaser  that  they  can  be  occupied  by  three 
families.  I  think  you  will  find  that  the  people  who  have  been  most  active  in  the  agita- 
tion for  this  legislation  have  been  involved  in  practices  of  this  kind. 

Secondly:  JVith  regard  to  the  demolition  of  present  unsanitary  structures  of  all 
classes  in  congested  areas — Do  you  want  to  consider  in  this  connection  some  of  the 
European  methods  that  have  been  employed  in  dealing  with  congestion?  There  is 
nothing  that  you  can  take  up  larger  than  this.  You  gentlemen  realize  that  no  plan  of 
this  kind  can  be  carried  out  without  strict  regard  to  the  financial  side  of  it.  When 
we  realize  that  one  tenement  house  block  on  the  lower  East  Side  is  worth  one  and  one- 
half  million  dollars  it  will  be  readily  seen  how  little  work  of  this  nature  can  be  done. 
The  city,  under  our  constitution,  must  pay  for  property  so  taken  and  it  would  not  be 
long  before  the  burdens  imposed  upon  the  taxpayers  in  work  of  this  kind  would  be 
unbearable.  Of  course  any  such  plan  could  be  carried  out  only  by  the  city,  as  no  pri- 
vate individual  could  obtain  the  property  necessary. 

Mr.  Veiller:  I  never  saw  a  building  that  needed  to  be  torn  down  because  it 
was  unsanitary.  I  will  qualify  this  by  saying  that  what  I  mean  is  that  if  a  building  is 
unfit  for  human  habitation  because  of  unsanitary  conditions,  the  proper  remedy  is  to- 
vacate  it.  If  it  is  not  fit  for  people  to  live  in,  don't  let  them  live  there.  As  long  as  a 
house  stands  empty  it  will  do  no  harm  to  the  community  and  there  is  no  advantage  to 
be  gained  by  destroying  it.  Of  course,  in  the  case  where  there  is  a  "school  sink,"  that 
is  a  nuisance  which  should  be  abated ;  similarly,  if  there  are  large  openings  in  the  plumb- 
ing, the  house,  even  if  unoccupied,  might  do  harm  to  the  community  through  the  escape 
of  sewer  gas.  But  these  are  exceptional  instances.  I  see,  therefore,  no  value  in  tear- 
ing down  individual  unsanitary  houses.  The  thing  to  do  is  to  vacate  them.  Of  course, 
if  the  City  wants  to  wipe  out  congested  areas  and  to  do  it  on  a  neighborhood  plan,  that 
is  a  different  matter.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  keeping  a  house  vacant  after  it  is  once 
vacated.    This  is  done  through  the  police  very  effectively. 

Mr.  Chairman  :     Do  you  think  the  regulations  of  the  Tenement  House  Law  when 


96 

it  requires,  for  instance,  the  cutting  of  a  window,  makes  the  house  fit  for  human  habi- 
tation? 

Mr.  Veiller :  This  is  a  broad  question.  It  is  pretty  hard  to  say  just  what  con- 
ditions render  a  place  tit  or  unlit  for  human  habitation.  1  certainly  do  not  think  that 
the  conditions  you  refer  to  ought  to  be  permitted  in  the  future,  and  if  we  had  only 
one  hundred  houses  like  that  in  New  York  1  should  say  unhesitatingly  that  we  ought 
to  vacate  them,  but  with  one  hundred  thousand  windowless  rooms,  and  two  hundred 
and  sixty  thousand  more  dark  rooms,  not  including  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
rooms  in  the  twenty  thousand  tenement  houses  which  have  no  means  of  light  and 
ventilation  but  small  28-inch  air  shafts,  it  would  be  practically  impossible  to  enforce  a 
provision  which  required  the  vacation  of  such  houses.  It  would  mean  the  displacement 
of  almost  the  city's  entire  population  ;  certainly  a  very  considerable  portion  of  it.  With 
regard  to  your  question  as  to  paying  for  property  condemned  by  the  city,  section  1300 
of  the  Charter,  to  which  I  referred  in  my  opening  remarks,  lays  down  in  detail  the 
methods  of  paying  for  property  under  different  circumstances.  I  want  to  say  in  this 
connection  that  I  have  no  doubt  that  some  time  in  the  future  New  York  City  will  carry 
out  schemes  for  the  improvement  of  its  slum  areas  on  a  large  scale  along  the  lines  that 
have  been  carried  out  in  Europe,  but  I  do  not  think  that  the  city  is  ready  at  the  present 
day  for  such  a  plan. 

Mr.  Chairman :  As  to  the  question  of  room  overcrowding,  do  you  know  of 
any  way  by  which  improvements  can  be  made  except  by  the  enforcement  of  existing 
laws  as  to  the  minimum  areas? 

Mr.  Veiller:  I  think  this  can  be  done  by  the  enactment  of  a  proper  law,  if  en- 
forced. I  am  very  glad  to  indicate  what  I  think  that  law  should  be.  but  wish  to  say 
that  such  a  law  will  never  be  enforced  unless  the  public  officials  charged  with  this 
enforcement  have  much  more  popular  support  than  they  have  now,  and  unless  the 
judges  of  the  minor  courts,  both  civil  and  criminal,  will  heartily  and  enthusiastically 
assist.  We  have  a  law  now  limiting  the  number  of  cubic  feet  per  person.  This  law 
is  of  little  value.  Our  Tenement  House  Commission  of  19C0  did  not  enact  it,  but 
found  it  on  the  statute  books  and  thought  it  wise  to  continue  it  because  the  public  had 
got  accustomed  to  this  method  of  regulation,  and  also  because  they  felt  that  it  was 
a  power  which  could  be  utilized  effectively  in  extreme  cases  by  the  local  authorities, 
though  the  Commission  then  recognized  that  so  far  as  regulating  room  overcrowding 
generally  was   concerned  it   would  not  be   very   eft'ective. 

My  suggestion  to  regulate  room  overcrowding  is  this :  That  a  new  provision  be 
added  to  the  Tenement  House  Law  to  the  effect  that  in  tenements  of  a  certain  kind 
(and  I  should  seek  to  define  for  this  purpose  the  kind  of  tenements  that  we  mean — 
excluding  the  elevator  apartment,  at  least)  no  persons  outside  the  immediate  family, 
that  is,  no  boarders  or  lodgers,  should  be  permitted  to  be  taken  into  the  family  without 
the  consent  in  writing  of  the  Tenement  House  Department,  and  I  should  make  the 
owner  responsible  for  the  violation  of  this  provision,  and  not  the  tenant.  I  know 
the  owners  will  strenuously  object  to  this  and  will  claim  that  they  cannot  exercise 
control  over  their  tenants,  but  that  is  not  so,  they  do  exercise  similar  control.  The 
law  now  makes  the  owner  of  a  tenement  house  responsible  for  the  moral  character  of 
his  tenants  and  provides  that  in  the  case  where  a  prostitute  plies  her  trade  in  a  tene- 
ment house  the  owner  shall  be  liable  if  he  does  not  eject  her  and  stop  the  practice 
after  due  notice.  With  regard  to  my  suggestion  as  to  the  prohibiting  of  taking  in 
boarders  and  lodgers,  it  would  be  entirely  feasible  for  the  owners  to  put  a  clause  in 
the  lease  and  to  print  it  on  the  rent  receipts,  stating  that  the  rooms  may  be  occupied 
by  only  so  many  people,  and  that  no  lodgers  or  boarders  may  be  taken  without  the 
written  permission  of  the  Tenement  House  Department.  That  Department  could 
have  initial  inspections  and  measurements  made  of  the  floor  area,  and  cubic  area  of  the 
rooms  and  could  officially  notify  the  landlords  in  writing  of  the  number  of  people 
that  they  would  permit  to  be  lodged  in  the  rooms  in  question.  The  Tenement  House 
inspectors  could  then  make  night  ins]  ections  among  the  tenants  and.  if  they  found  the 
law  to  be  violated,  the  landlords  would  be  first  warned  in  writing  and  then  taken 
to  court.  By  this  means,  I  am  firmly  convinced  that  the  great  majority  of  the  room 
overcrowding  in  the  City  could  be  in  time  wiped  out.  It  is  the  taking  of  the  boarder  or 
lodger  that  makes  most  of  the  trouble  and  nearly  all  of  the  room  overcrowding.  Of 
course  there  will  be  for  a  while  a  great  popular  opposition  lo  any  such  plan.  The 
tenants  now,  many  of  them,  profit  by  the  present  overcrowding  and  find  it  a  source 
of  revenue.  But  bear  in  mind  what  Commissioner  Murphy  said,  that  the  tenants  gen- 
erally know  that  they  shcjuld  not  take  in  boarders  or  lodgers  and  generally  have  a 
guilty  and  apologetic  air  when  questioned  about  the  number  who  are  harbored.  A 
great  deal  can  be  done  in  this  direction,  however,  if  you  prohibit  the  taking  in  of  people 
outside  of  the  family.     This  is  what  causes  nearly  all  of  the  room  overcrowding.     Tt 


97 

is  not  due  to  large  families.  There  may  be  a  few  isolated  cases  of  that  kind,  but 
they  are  the  exception,  not  the  rule.  It  would  be  helpful  in  the  education  process, 
undoubtedly,  to  put  up  signs  in  various  languages,  explaining  what  the  provisions  of 
such  law  are.  The  judges  of  the  minor  courts  would  have  to  be  brought  into  a  sym- 
pathetic attitude  toward  any  such  scheme  before  it  could  be  carried  out. 

Mr.  Veiller ;  1  would  not  bother  with  it.  You  can  take  such  matters  up  twenty 
years  from  now  when  5'ou  have  the  boarder  and  lodger  question  settled.  The  evil 
from  the  large  family  is  a  negligible  quantity. 

To  return  to  the  question  of  limitation  of  height  of  buildings:  I  quite  agree  with 
what  has  been  pointed  out  by  one  of  the  previous  witnesses,  that  there  is  an  unfair 
discrimination  in  the  fact  that  the  Tenement  House  Law  limits  the  building  of  tene- 
ments to  one  height  and  that  the  Building  Law  permits  hotels  and  other  residence  build- 
ings to  be  built  much  higher.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  Tenement  House  Com- 
mission, which  drafted  the  Tenement  House  Law,  had  no  authority  to  concern  itself 
with  other  classes  of  buildings.  1  think  the  idea  which  Mr.  Rudolph  Miller  worked 
out  in  the  first  Building  Code  revision,  making  certain  classes  of  regulations  apply  to 
all  classes  of  dwellings,  was  good,  and  that  all  height  restrictions  should  apply  alike  to 
all  classes  of  dwellings.  There  ought  to  be  laws  that  would  really  restrict  height. 
Outside  of  the  Tenement  House  Law  there  are  no  such  laws  at  present.  The  plan 
suggested  by  Mr.  Ernest  Flagg  of  a  system  of  towers  is  to  my  mind  one  of  the 
wisest  suggestions  of  meeting  the  situation  which  exist  in  lower  Manhattan  that  has 
thus  far  been  made.  The  tall  building  has  everything  to  do  with  the  congestion  of 
traffic  and  with  the  difficulties  of  bur  transportation  problem,  which  in  turn  affect 
the  living  conditions  of  the  working  people. 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  the  plan  of  regulating  height  by  a  system  of  recession 
of  the  buildings,  or,  setting  back  the  buildings  at  different  stories.  This  plan  is  car- 
ried out  pretty  successfully  in  certain  English  and  German  cities.  The  Tenement 
House  Commission  of  1900  went  over  this  matter  very  carefully  and,  after  mature  de- 
liberation, felt  that  it  would  not  suit  New  York  conditions,  and  that  it  would  be  better 
to  have  a  minimum  size  yard  that  would  extend  from  the  ground  to  the  sky,  rather 
than  to  have  the  buildings  set  back  at  different  stories.  There  are,  however,  many 
advantages  to  this  scheine,  and  there  are  some  disadvantages.  _  The  advantages  are 
that  the  people  on  each  floor  have  a  sort  of  roof  garden  to  live  on,  equivalent  to 
the  yard  for  purposes  of  light  and  air.  The  disadvantage  is  that  these  places  are 
used  for  throwing  rubbish  of  all  kinds,  and  they  rapidly  become  unsanitary  and  a 
nuisance.  For  my  part.  I  would  rather  see  in  the  outlying  sections  a  straight  yard  of 
50  feet  deep  on  the  100  foot  lot. 

You  have  been  talking  about  percentage  of  lot.  I  do  not  think  that  this  mean.t 
anything  or  has  any  value  as  a  method  of  regulation  (except  in  one  instance).  The 
law  now  completely  regulates  the  lighting  and  ventilation  of  rooms  by  specifying  the- 
minimum  size  of  courts  and  yards  and  providing  for  the  increase  of  such  dimensions 
with  an  increased  height  of  the  building.  Except  in  the  case  of  the  deep  lot,  which 
we  do  have  in  some  sections  of  the  city,  the  percentage  clause  has  no  effect;  in  fact. 
in  some  instances  it  works  unnecessary  hardship.  A  man  having  a  short  lot  is  not  per 
mitted  under  the  law,  because  of  the  percentage  clause,  to  build  a  house  that  is  better 
than  his  neighbor  may  build  on  a  deeper  lot.  You  ought  not  to  work  in  the  considera- 
tion of  this  problem  on  a  percentage  basis.  The  thing  to  consider  is  the  depth  of  the 
yard.     Keep  your  building  as  shallow  as  you  can. 

As  to  the  restriction  of  the  cubage  of  building,  I  do  not  think  this  is  worth  anv 
thing.     It  might  work  hardship.     Why  you  should  restrict  a  inan  because  he  builds  on 
a  lot  with  a  300  foot  frontage,  instead  of  on  a  100  foot  frontage,  I  cannot  see.     The 
only  two  elements  that  you  need  consider  are  the  height  and  the  depth,  but  when  you 
introduce  the  width,  this  third  element  is  unnecessary  and  may  easily  work  hardship 

"Zone"  areas  I  have  touched  on.  With  regard  to  people  living  in  cellars  or  base 
ments.  there  are  lots  of  cellars  that  are  bad.  but  few  basements.  The  law  is  entirely 
adequate   to    deal    with    cellars    now. 

As  to  the  standard  for  floor  area,  the  number  of  cubic  feet  of  space :  I  do  not  think 
you  can  increase  this  one  foot  in  Manhattan,  and  that  if  you  do  increase  it  any  ma 
terial  amount  you  could  no  longer  build  tenement  houses  on  Manhattan  Island  and 
make  them  pay;  but  in  the  outlying  boroughs  this  ought  to  be  increased._  It  is  ridic- 
ulous to  build  new  houses  in  such  portions  of  the  City  with  rooms  70  feet  in  size.  This 
should  be  increased  to  90  feet,  and  where  the  law  now  says  that  at  least  one  room 
shall  contain  120  square  feet,  this  should  be  increased  (in  these  outljang  boroughs, 
remember)  to  150  feet.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  they  do  a  good  deal  better  than  the  law 
requires  usually  in  the  buildings  erected  in  the  outlying  districts.  With  regard  to  three- 
■^tory  frame  tenements,  I  do  not  think  there  should  be  any.  They  ought  to  be  kept 
down  to  two  stories.     Where  land  values  are  so  low  that  people  need  to  build  frame 


houses  there  is  no  such  pressure  of  population  as  to  make  necessary  the  building  of 
tenements  at  all. 

As  to  your  suggestion  of  some  arbitrary  standard  about  limiting  the  number  of 
families  that  may  be  permitted  to  live  on  a  50-foot  lot,  I  do  not  believe  that  such  a 
provision  would  hold  water  for  a  minute.  Unless  j'ou  could  prove  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  Court  of  Appeals  that  the  mere  presence  of  more  than  a  certain  number  of 
people  on  that  floor  area  was  injurious  to  the  community,  your  enactment  would 
be  of  little  value.  Moreover,  it  would  be  impossible  from  a  practical  point  of  view 
to  enforce  compliance  with  such  a  provision.  The  effort  to  secure  compliance  would  be 
more  costly  than  the  results  would  be  worth.  Moreover,  you  can  accomplish  directly, 
instead  of  by  this  indirect  means,  what  you  are  seeking  to  accomplish  by  prohibiting 
the  taking  in  of  boarders  and  lodgers,  as  I  have  suggested  earlier  in  my  remarks.  In 
this  connection  the  law  should  be  changed,  as  I  have  indicated  in  my  book  "'A  Model 
Tenement  House  Law,"  so  that  instead  of  a  mandatory  prohibition  in  every  case,  the 
matter  should  be  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  enforcing  officials.  The  existing  law 
makes  it  impossible  for  a  man  and  wife  to  sleep  in  a  bedroom  in  a  new-law  tenement. 
This  is,  of  course,  ridiculous. 

As  to  the  plan  for  grouping  factories  and  other  classes  of  buildings  together  in  a 
neighborhood  scheme,  I  am  heartily  in  favor  of  it.  It  will  take  a  good  many  years, 
however,  1  fear,  to  bring  it  about  as  a  matter  of  local  regulation.  It  happens  strangely 
enough  that  naturally  there  is  a  greater  grouping  of  this  kind  in  New  York  City  than 
in  any  other  city  in  the  United  States  that  I  know  of.  Our  tenement  districts  are 
certainly  in  Manhattan  very  definitely  located,  and  so  are  our  business  and  residence 
districts. 

B — Statement  by  Hon.  John  J.  Murphy,  Coniinissioiier  of  the  Tenement  House 
Department. 

Your  first  question  was  in  reference  to  the  proportion  of  uncovered  area  for  each 
block.  We  have  taken  as  an  illustration  the  block  bounded  by  1st  and  2d  aves.,  and 
from  79th  to  80th  sts.,  which  has  been  figured  as  containing  approximately  132,225 
square  feet.  The  minimum  uncovered  area  required  for  the  block,  allowing  four 
corner  buildings  25  by  100  in  size,  each  with  a  ten-foot  yard  and  with  no  courts,  was 
37,617  square  feet.  The  total  uncovered  area  of  such  a  block,  therefore,  would  be 
roughly,  285^  per  cent.  I  do  not  know  whether  we  cover  exactly  the  point  you  want, 
but  as  far  as  the  Tenement  House  Law  is  concerned,  a  block  might  be  covered  prac- 
tically to  72  per  cent,  of  its  area.  This  is  allowing  for  the  90  per  cent,  corner  lot 
and  70  per  cent,  interior  lots.  Is  there  any  more  information  on  this  point  that  you 
wish  ? 

Mr.  Chairman  :  In  the  recommendation,  what  would  be  the  logical  reduction  of  the 
present  area  for  bettering  the  present  conditions? 

Mr.  Murphy :  Well,  so  far  as  I  am  concerned,  I  do  not  want  to  make  recommen- 
dations— the  standards  are  so  widely  different.  I  know  some  people  who  think  they 
are  getting  congested  if  someone  moves  on  the  same  block  with  them,  and  I  have 
known  places  where  they  object  because  people  could  see  the  front  or  rear  of  the  prem- 
ises. So  to  attempt  a  recommendation  would,  it  seems  to  me,  or  to  express  any  opinions 
on  the  subject,  mean  only  vague  suggestions.  I  would  rather  attempt  to  furnish  facts 
as  to  actually  what  the  present  situation  is. 

Mr.  Chairman  :  Has  this  Department  the  power  to  order  the  demolition  of  unsanitary 
tenement  houses? 

Mr.  Murphy :  To  this  I  would  say  that  this  Department  has  the  right,  but  not 
the  power.  We  have  the  power  to  vacate  a  building  and  I  presume  the  Board  of 
Health  has  the  power  to  order  the  removal  of  unsanitary  buildings.  We  have  close 
on  to  100  buildings  in  New  York  vacated  because  of  the  presence  of  school  sinks, 
where  the  school  sinks  had  not  been  removed  before  the  building  was  vacated,  and 
we  cannot  proceed  any  further  for  lack  of  funds.  We  have  sent  a  list  of  those  places 
to  the  Department  of  Llealth,  calling  their  attention  to  the  continuance  of  the  school 
sinks  where  their  continuance  may  be  a  menace  to  the  health  of  the  neighborhood.  As 
to  the  benefit  to  be  derived  by  putting  these  matters  into  the  hands  of  the  Tenement 
House  Department,  that  is,  allowing  it  the  power  to  have  demolished  such  buildings,  I 
think  it  would  be  desirable  to  have  an  amendment  which  would  g'ive  us  the  means 
to  demolish  unsanitary  structures ;  to  take  these  school  sinks  of  which  I  have  spoken, 
where  they  remain  and  we  are  unable  to  demolish  them  and  their  continuance  is  a 
menace  to  public  health.  I  think  we  ought  to  have  the  means  to  do  so,  although,  as  I 
say,  the  Department  of  Health,  having  the  power,  it  might  be  unnecessary  to  gn-c  it 
to  another  department. 

Mr.  Schaeffer :  Commissioner  Murphy,  in  Washington  they  have  a  separate  Con- 
demnation Board  which  condemns  unsanitary  buildings  regardless  of  the  use  to  which 


99 

they  have  been  put.  Do  you  think,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  there  are  many  unsani- 
tary factories  and  private  dwellings,  that  such  a  board  would  be  feasible  here,  as  far 
as  it  would  relate  to  tenants? 

Mr.  Murphy:  As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  are  no  unsanitary  occupied  tenements 
to-day  in  the  city,  so  bad  as  to  justify  their  demolition. 

Mr.  Schaeffer :  What  is  your  understanding  of  what  would  justify  their  demoli- 
tion? 

Mr.  Murphy :  Where  there  are  school  sinks,  or  a  shaky  building,  any  building  in 
such  a  condition  as  to  threaten  immediate  injury  to  the  occupants. 

Mr.  Schaeffer:    What  about  the  dark  rooms,  or  twilight  rooms? 

Mr.  Murphy:  That  would  be  a  suggestion  for  new  legislation  which  I  do  not 
think  I  want  to  make. 

Mr.  Schaeffer:  What  is  the  percentage  of  lot  area  covering  the  tenement  houses? 

Mr.  Murphy:  I  believe  that  section  50  of  the  Tenement  House  Law  permits  70 
per  cent,  of  the  interior  lot  and  90  per  cent,  of  a  corner  lot.  And,  in  section  59,  it 
is  possible  to  cover  72  per  cent,  of  the  lot  in  case  of  four-story  liouses  arranged 
for  not  more  than  two  families  on  a  floor,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  a  type  of  three- 
familj^  houses  is  permitted  to  cover  only  65  per  cent.,  in  the  same  section.  There  are 
very  few  of  these  in  Manhattan.    They  are  mostly  in  The  Bronx  and  Brooklyn. 

As  to  the  70  per  cent,  giving  sufficient  light  area  for  the  average  six-story  tene- 
ment house  or  apartment  house,  I  think  it  does  not,  but  there  again  it  is  simply  a 
question  of  what  is  sufficiently  adequate  light.  This  has  been  a  bone  of  contention 
since  the  organization  of  the  Department.  I  have  said  that  the  only  basis  upon 
which  it  could  be  determined  would  be  to  take  as  a  standard  houses  which  have  been 
erected  in  conformity  with  the  Tenement  House  Law,  and,  assuming  the  surround- 
ings to  have  been  in  conformity  with  the  law,  wherever  similar  conditions  prevail 
in  old  law  houses,  we  would  have  to  regard  them  as  legal.  At  present  the  law  says 
that  these  conditions  are  legal,  and  if  we  criticise  it,  it  would  be  not  on  the  law  but 
on  the  facts. 

As  to  the  question  of  the  restriction  of  the  height  of  a  building  to  the  angle 
of  recession,  can  say  that  we  have  no  restriction  of  the  angle  of  recession,  and 
as  to  the  question  of  height  only — that  the  house  must  not  exceed  l]^  the  width 
of  the  widest  street  on  which  the  building  is  located.  There  is  nothing  about  the 
cubage  of  the  tenement  house,  nor  does  the  law  specify  anything.  The  higher  the 
building  the  greater  the  unoccupied  space  of  yard — a  foot  is  required  for  each  addi- 
tional 12  feet. 

Regarding  tabulations  made  of  the  average  percentage  of  lot  covered,  say,  by 
the  new  ten  or  twelve-story  apartments,  I  took  that  question  up  not  long  ago,  and 
if  your  Secretary  makes  a  note  of  it,  I  will  be  glad  to  send  my  tables  to  you. 

In  regard  to  basement  and  dwelling  in  cellars,  it  seems  that  basements  may  be 
regarded  as  cellars.  The  idea  was  that  in  a  basement  or  cellar  there  shall  be  no  more 
than  one  family  on  any  floor.  A  basement  is  quite  as  good  as  any  other  floor  for 
Hving  purposes.  There  is  no  section  of  the  law  permitting  same  to  be  occupied  only 
by  one  family.  The  cellars  of  new  buildings  are  limited  to  a  certain  extent  in  this 
respect.  Section  15  permits  only  one  family  in  the  cellar  of  the  six-story  non-fire- 
proof tenement  where  the  grade  is  more  than  four  feet  in  a  hundred.  Section  90 
permits  only  one  family  in  the  cellar  of  any  new  building.  The  law,  however,  con- 
tains no  restriction  as  to  the  number  of  cellar  apartments  which  may  exist  in  a 
tenement  erected  prior  to  April  10,  1901. 

Mr.  Chairman :  Do  you  know  what  proportion  of  the  25,000  basement  or  cellar 
dwellings  are  in  old  and  new  law  tenements? 

Mr.  Murphy:  I  am  not  aware  that  it  has  been  tabulated,  but  if  it  has  been,  I 
will   communicate  with  the   Committee. 

As  to  the  question  of  floor  area  and  cubic  feet  of  space,  where  the  law 
requires  that  no  room  shall  be  less  than  7  by  10,  with  ceiling  usually  9  feet,  the 
cubical  contents  therefore  allotted,  according  to  another  section,  permits  practically 
that  room  to  be  inhabited  by  an  adult  and  a  minor.  That  is.  the  average  bedroom 
in  the  majority  of  tenements  erected  are  therefore  good  for  only  thai  condition.  Then 
when  we  turn  back  to  another  section  regarding  congestion,  it  leaves  it  in  a  vague 
condition  as  to  the  enforcement  of  the  law.  I  have  made  some  computations  as  to 
the  actual  number  of  people  who  may  inhabit  new-law  houses,  based  on  the  com- 
putations of  the  cubic  feet  space  in  the  house,  so  you  can  see  exacth'  what  the 
situation  is.  We  are  not  permitted,  of  course,  to  determine  what  the  rooms  are  to 
be  used  for — we  would  not  consider  pantries  or  bathrooms,  but  any  other  room 
may  be  used  as  a  sleeping  room.  The  minimum  space  permitted  for  such  rooms  by 
section  64  is  70  square  feet,  9  feet  in  height,  having  a  cubic  contents  of  630  cubic 


100 

feet.  At  least  one  room  in  each  apartment  must  contain  120  square  feet  of  such 
area.  There  is  no  restriction  as  to  the  number  of  famiUes  upon  each  floor  in  any 
case,  irrespective  of  the  lot  area.  We  understand  one  new  house  in  The  Bronx  has 
seventeen  families  on  a  floor. 

Mr.  Chairman:  I  might  explain  to  the  Commissioner  that  the  object  here  was 
mainly  on  the  average  50  by  100  lot;  that  is,  taking  it  on  the  baisis  of  six  stories  m 
height  and  six  families  on  a  floor,  as  there  are  a  number  of  them  erected  that  way. 
That  is,  taking  the  entire  block  area — the  computation  made  on  the  number  of 
people  tenanting  would  be  in  excess  of  the  average  of  the  requirements  per  acreage. 
Mr.  Murphy:  Here  are  the  figures  1  have  worked  out,  taking  the  plans  of  four 
typical  buildings  as  to  the  number  of  people  who  may  be  permitted  to  occupy  them 
under  the  laws  as  they  stand  at  the  present  time.  The  first  was  a  house  on  the 
north  side  of  43d  st.,  200  feet  west  of  9th  ave. — a  six-story  building,  two  apartments 
on  the  first,  and  three  on  each  of  the  f^\■e  upper  floors.  The  lot  is  24  by  100,  five 
rooms  deep.  There  are  seventeen  apartments  in  the  building.  The  total  cubic  area 
in  the  building,  excluding  those  things  I  mentioned  as  having  57,789  cubic  feet, 
allow  400  cubic  feet  to  each  individual,  and  apportioning  them  in  the  way  I  spoke  of. 
This  indicates  that  the  building  might  be  occupied  by  144  tenants.  Another  build- 
ing on  W.  127th  St.,  of  similar  size  and  general  construction,  can  house  160 
adults  within  the  law.  Those  are  both  what  might  be  termed  legal  occupancy  of  the 
building  on  the  25-foot  lot,  so  you  can  see  how  far  it  would  have  to  go  before 
an  illegal  congestion  would  arise.  In  the  great  majority  of  cases  such  houses  are  not 
occupied  to  this  extent.  In  a  six-story  building  on  the  50-foot  lot  by  100  feet 
deep,  we  find  there  is  legal  accommodation  for  321  adults,  and  another  six-story 
building  on  a  lot  of  the  same  width  and  depth  gives  legal  accommodation  for  341 
adults. 

I  do  not  know  that  there  is  anj'thing  else  about  which  the  Tenem.ent  House 
Department  can  give  you  any  information,  but  will  be  glad  to  do  whatever  I  can  upon 
request. 

Mr.  Chairman  :  How  much  benefit  would  there  be  obtained  by  an  increase  of 
the  size  of  the  average  bedroom,  and  what  would  be  the  approximate  size  of  such  a 
room? 

Mr.  Murphy:  I  do  not  think  I  am  prepared  to  give  any  inf(,rmation  on  that 
question.  I  have  had — and  they  are  at  the  disposal  of  the  Committee  at  any  time — 
an  inspection  of  the  congested  districts  within  the  last  two  weeks  as  to  people  living 
there,  and  I  find  out  there  is  more  general  knowledge  of  the  legal  requirements  than 
I  anticipated — that  is  to  say,  people  (a  great  many  of  them)  know  they  should  not 
permit  boarders  and  they  volunteer  to  the  Inspectors  that  there  is  no  one  livmg  in 
this  flat  except  the  family  and  the  agents  instruct  the  families  that  they  have 
authorit}'  to  put  them  out  if  they  transgress.  And  the  number  of  families  with 
sleeping  accommodations  which  were  found  to  exceed  the  total  number  permitted 
by  law  to  live  in  apartments  were  very  few.  There  were  very  few  instances  of  more 
than  the  legal  number. 

Mr.  Chairman:  Do  you  remember  whether  your  investigatois  found  a  good  many 
rooms  where  the  number  of  occupants  exceeded  the  number  there  should  have  been? 
Mr.  Murphy :  It  seemed  to  me  it  was  apparently  a  small  percentage  of  the  total 
number,  but  of  the  total  number  of  houses  visited  in  The  Bronx  there  were  apparently 
a  few  on  the  East  Side  that  transgressed  I  took  some  typical  blocks  and  got  one 
report  which  I  have  not  yet  had  time  to  check  up  by  the  measurements  as  to  what 
the  actual  situation  permits,  and  that  is  the  block  bounded  by  Cherry,  Oliver.  Oak 
and  Catherine  sts.  There  are  reported  to  be  twenty-six  tenement  houses  on  the 
block.  This  is  a  small  block,  less  than  half  the  regular  sized  block.  There  were 
nearly  2,000  people,  permanent  tenants,  on  that  block,  and  there  was  about  1.000 
of  a  floating  population  that  boards  there  occasionally.  Then  in  Harlem  the  question 
arises  as  to  whether  the  occupancy,  or  in  counting  the  occupants,  we  are  to  include 
people  who  occupy  rooms  on  one-halt  time.  We  find  double  occupants  in  rooms 
where  one  group  occupy  in  the  day  time  ajid  another  at  night  time.  That  is  also 
a  question  to  be  taken  into  consideration. 

The  character  of  the  tenement  houses  in  such  a  block  or  blocks  as  I  have  spoken 
of,  many  of  them,  are  the  new  two-room  apartments  such  as  they  have  been  putting 
up  down  in  the  Roosevelt  section.  Nearly  all  of  them  have  been  built  in  the  las^ 
eight  or  ten  years.  That  looks  to  us  as  being  about  the  most  congested  section  at  the 
moment.  I  have  not  all  the  figures  and  do  not  want  to  take  up  the  entire  time. 
Mr.  Chairman:  What  suggestions  have  you  to  make  to  the  Commission? 
Mr.  Murphy:  I  said  to  Mr.  Schaeffer  that  I  preferred  not  to  do  this.  As  an 
individual  matter  it  is  one  thing,  and  off'icially  it  is  another,  and  I  do  not  suppose  any 


101 

man  is  as  little  likely  to  form  or  abstract  an  opinion  as  the  man  actually  on  the  job. 
C. — Statement  by  Hon.  Rudolph  P.  Miller,  Sitpt.  of  Buildings. 
Light  and  \'entilation  of  Residence  IJuildings — The  provisions  of  this  section  shall 
apply  to  all  residence  buildings,  except  tenement  houses  and  lodging  houses. 

Behind  every  such  building  hereafter  erected  there  shall  be  a  yard,  extending 
across  the  entire  width  of  the  lot,  at  every  point  open  from  the  ground  to  the  sky  un- 
obstructed, except  that  when  there  are  no  sleeping  rooms  in  the  first  story  or  base- 
ment, the  yard  may  start  at  the  level  of  the  second  story  floor  beams. 

Except  upon  a  corner  lot,  the  depth  of  said  yard  measured  from  the  extreme 
rear  wall  of  the  building  to  the  rear  line  of  the  lot  shall  be  not  less  than  ten  feet  in 
every  part,  for  buildings  sixty  feet  or  less  in  height;  and  in  the  case  of  buildings 
over  sixty  feet  in  height,  said  yard  shall  be  increased  in  depth  six  inches  for  every 
additional  twelve  feet  of  height  or  fraction  thereof  above  sixty  feet. 

In  the  case  of  such  buildings  hereafter  erected  upon  corner  lots,  no  yard  shall 
be  required  behind  the  buildings,  provided,  however,  that  this  exemption  shall  not 
apply  for  a  distance  of  more  than  fifty  feet  across  the  rear  of  the  lot,  measured 
from  the  street  line. 

Whenever  any  such  building  hereafter  erected  is  upon  a  lot  which  runs  through 
frorri  one  street  to  another  street,  a  j'ard  shall  be  provided  the  full  width  of  the 
lot,  midway  between  the  streets  and  of  the  depth  and  height  as  in  this  section  pro- 
vided for  interior  lots,  except  that  when  said  lot  is  less  than  seventy  feet  in  depth 
a  yard  need  not  be  provided. 

If  any  building  is  hereafter  placed  on  the  same  lot  with  a  residence  building 
there  shall  always  be  maintained  between  the  said  buildings  an  open,  unoccupied 
space  across  the  entire  width  of  the  lot,  extending  from  the  ground  upward  to  the 
sky,  of  a  depth  equal  to  twice  that  required  for  the  yard  of  a  residence  building  of 
the  height  of  the  highest  of  the  buildings ;  except  that  when  there  are  no  sleeping 
rooms  in  the  first  story  or  basement  the  open  space  may  start  at  the  level  of  the 
second  story  floor  beams. 

No  such  building  shall  be  hereafter  enlarged  or  its  lot  be  diminished,  so  that 
the  yard  shall  be  less  in  depth  than  is  prescribed  for  buildings  hereafter  erected. 

No  court  used  for  the  lighting  or  ventilation  of  a  sleeping  room  in  any  build- 
ing hereafter  erected  shall  be  less  than  five  feet  in  any  dimension;  and  for  every 
additional  twelve  feet  of  height  or  fraction  thereof  above  sixty  feet  there  shall  be 
an  increase  of  six  inches  in  such  dimension. 

No  such  court  of  any  building  hereafter  erected  shall  be  covered  by  a  roof  or 
skylight,  but  shall  be  at  every  point  open  and  unobstructed  to  the  sky. 

No  offset  from  any  court  shall  be  used  for  lighting  or  ventilating  a  sleeping 
room,  unless  such  offset  is  at  least  four  feet  wide  and  its  depth  does  not  exceed 
its  width. 

For  the  purposes  of  this  section  the  measurements  of  a  court  shall  be  taken  at 
the  ground  level,  except  that  where  such  building  is  partly  used  for  other  than 
residence  purposes,  they  may  be  taken  at  the  level  of  the  floor  beams  of  the  lowest 
story  used   for  or  containing  any   sleeping  rooms. 

No  such  building  shall  be  hereafter  altered  or  enlarged,  or  its  lot  be  diminished, 
so  that  any  court  shall  be  of  less  dimension  than  herein  specified  for  buildings 
hereafter  erected. 

No  court  to  be  used  for  lighting  or  ventilation  of  any  sleeping  room  shall  here- 
after be  placed  in  any  building  unless  such  court  conforms  to  the  requirements 
herein  specified   for  courts  of  buildings  hereafter  erected. 

In  any  building  hereafter  erected  every  sleeping  room  shall  be  provided  with 
a  window  or  windows,  opening  directly  upon  a  street,  yard  or  court.  Each  such 
window  shall  be  not  less  than  twelve  square  feet  in  area  between  stop  heads,  and 
shall  be  so  arranged  that  it  can  be  opened  to  the  extent  of  at  least  one-half  its  area. 
Such  sleeping  room  shall  be  in  every  part  not  less  than  eight  feet  high  from  the 
finished  floor  to  the  finished  ceiling.  Such  sleeping  room  shall  be  not  less  than 
seven  feet  wide  for  one-half  its  length  and  shall  contain  not  less  than  six  hundred 
cubic  feet  of  space. 

No  sleeping  room  that  does  not  conform  to  these  requirements  shall  hereafter 
be  placed  in  any  building. 

No  sleeping  room  shall  be  hereafter  placed  in  any  cellar  or  in  any  basement, 
the  ceiling  of  which  is  less  than  two  feet  above  the  curb. 

Light  and  Ventilation  of  Mercantile  Buildings — The  provisions  of  this  section 
shall  apply  to  Mercantile  Buildings  located  on  lots  fronting  on  a  street  and  having 
a  greater  depth  than  seventy  feet. 

The  provisions  of  this  section  shall  also  apply  to  such  Public  Buildings  and 
Special  Structures  as  the  Superintendent  of  Buildings  may  deem  necessary. 


102 

Beliind   every   such  building  hereafter  erected,   unless  in   this   section   otherwise 
provided,  there  shall  be  a  yard  extending  across  the  entire  width  of  the  lot,  at  every  - 
point  open  to  the  sky. 

The  depth  of  said  j-ard,  measured  from  the  extreme  rear  wall  of  the  building 
to  the  rear  line  of  the  lot,  shall  be  not  less  than  ten  feet  in  every  part,  for  build- 
ings sixty  feet  or  less  in  height;  and  in  buildings  over  sixty  feet  in  height,  said 
yard  shall  be  increased  in  depth  six  inches  for  every  additional  twenty-four  feet  of 
height,  or  fraction  thereof,  above  sixty  feet. 

When  any  such  building  is  located  on  a  lot  which  runs  through  from  one  street 
to  another  street,  the  said  yard  shall  be  provided  midway  between  the  streets,  across 
the  entire  width   of  the  lot. 

\\'hen  any  such  building  is  located  on  a  corner  lot,  no  yard  need  be  provided 
behind  the  building,  provided,  however,  that  this  provision  shall  not  apply  for  a 
distance  of  more  than  fifty  feet  across  the  rear  of  the  lot,  measured  from  the  street 
line. 

In  case  more  than  seventy-five  per  cent,  of  the  area  of  the  block  in  which  such 
building  is  hereafter  erected  is  occupied  by  other  than  residence  buildings,  no  yard 
need  be  provided  behind  the  building,  but  in  lieu  thereof  there  shall  be  provided  an 
interior  court  or  courts  having  an  aggregate  horizontal  area  equal  to  that  of  the 
yard  otherwise  required. 

Xo  such  court  shall  be  less  than  ten  feet  in  any  dimension,  and  for  every  addi- 
tional twenty-four  feet  in  height,  or  fraction  thereof,  above  sixty  feet,  there  shall 
be  an  increase  of  three  inches  in  such  dimension. 

No  such  court  shall  be  covered  by  a  roof  or  skylight,  but  shall  be  at  every 
point  open  to  the  sky. 

For  the  purposes  of  this  section,  the  measurements  for  yards  or  courts  may  be 
taken  at  the  level  of  the  second  story  floor  beams,  but  never  more  than  twenty  feet 
above  the  curb. 

No  such  building  shall  hereafter  be  altered  or  enlarged  or  its  lot  be  diminished, 
so  that  the  yard  or  any  court  shall  be  less  in  depth  or  dimension  than  herein  speci- 
fied  for  buildings  hereafter  erected. 

D. — Mr.  I.  -V.  Phelps  Stokes,  representing  the  New  York  Chapter  of  the  Ameri- 
can Institute  of  Architects,  and  a  member  of  the  De  Forest  Tenement  House  Com- 
mission of  1901. 

In  response  to  a  request  from  the  Chairman  that  he  make  a  general  statement 
of  his  views  on  the  housing  situation  in  New  York,  with  suggestions  for  improving 
the  existing  conditions.  Mr.  Stokes  outlined  a  plan  submitted  to  the  Tenement  House 
Commission  and  embodied  in  their  report,  for  condemning  individual  blocks  in  the 
most  congested  districts,  demolishing  the  old  tenements  and  other  buildings  and 
selling  strips  forty  feet  wide  on  the  longer  frontages  on  which  private  capital  should 
erect  buildings  two  rooms  deep  and  five  stories  high  of  the  simplest  design  and 
construction ;  the  central  strips,  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  wide  and  from 
four  to  six  hundred  feet  long,  open  at  the  two  ends,  to  remain  the  property  of  the 
City  and  to  be  laid  out  as  small  public  parks. 

It  was  found  that  in  this  way  two-thirds  of  the  population  of  one  of  the  most 
congested  blocks  in  the  city  could  be  rehoused  under  ideal  conditions  without  in- 
creasing the  rents.  This  would,  of  course,  require  legislation  permitting  excess 
condemnation,  which  Mr.  Stokes  said  he  considered  almost  the  most  important  step 
which  could  at  this  time  be  taken  to  secure  better  housing  conditions. 

Mr.  Stokes  stated  that  it  would  take  a  very  bold  Commissioner  to  order  the 
demolition  of  imsanitary  buildings,  and  that  most  of  them  can  be  repaired  and 
made  sanitary  and  habitable.  He  further  stated  that,  in  his  opinion,  the  most  im- 
portant work  which  can  be  accomplished  for  better  housing  is  to  reduce  rents,  even 
at  the  sacrifice  of   some   space  and   convenience  in   apartments. 

The  present  minimum  limits  of  the  Tenement  House  Law  are  adequate  in  most 
respects,  although  it  might  be  desirable  to  increase  the  dimensions  of  one  room  in 
each  apartment. 

Mr.  Stokes  stated  that  in  general  he  did  not  believe  in  having  revisions  to  the 
Tenement  House  Law  which  would  increase  the  cost  of  construction,  or  limit  the 
development  of  new  types  of  plans ;  indeed,  he  believed  that  some  relaxation  of 
the  present  law  in  these  respects  would  be  desirable. 

Some  form  of  districting  the  city  would  be  feasible,  and  better  standards  should 
be  strictly  enforced  in  the  boroughs  outside  of  Manhattan. 

One  defect  of  the  Tenement  House  Law  is  that  it  does  not  differentiate  in  tene- 
ment buildings  between  rooms  on  a  street  and  rooms  on  a  court  or  yard — i.  e.,  rooms 
should  be  judged  by  their  relation  to  the  space  from  which  they  derive  their  light 
and  air,  quite  independent  of  the  question  as  to  whether  they  happen  to  be  above 


103 

or  below  the  level  of  a  curb,  which  may  be  hundreds  of  feet  away,  and  which  can 
have  no  effect  upon  their  lighting  and  ventilation.  Seventy  square  feet  is  a  suffi- 
cient minimum  superficial  floor  area  for  bedrooms,  and  it  is  better  in  general  to 
divide  a  given  space  into  a  greater  number  of  small  rooms  rather  than  into  a  lesser 
number  of  larger  rooms. 

The  low  degree  of  intelligence  brought  to  bear  upon  the  planning  of  tenements 
is  surprising,  and  most  of  the  plans  filed  with  the  Tenement  House  Department 
show,  to  a  lamentable  degree,  lack  of  thought,  effort,  experience  and  ability  to  get 
the  best  results  under  given  conditions. 

An  effort  should  be  made  to  stimulate  the  development  of  new  types  of  plans. 
To  this  end  competitions  should  be  encouraged  and  model  tenements  built  by  private 
capital. 

The  use  of  new  and  more  economical  materials  and  methods  of  construction 
should  be  encouraged,  and  every  legitimate  means  should  be  taken  to  economize  in  the 
design  and  construction  of  tenements. 

Mr.  Stokes  stated  that  he  would  like  to  see  Architects  licensed,  and  that  he 
believed  that  this  would  have  some  effect  in  improving  the  tj^pes  of  tenement  house 
plans. 

E. — Statement  by  Mr.  George  B.  Ford,  Architect. 

The  subject  assigned  me.  "Housing  Reform  in  New  York,"  is  rather  misleading.  It 
would  probably  be  better  to  call  it  "Housing  Reform  out  of  New  York."  The  trouble 
is  that  an  adequate  solution  of  the  Housing  Problem  in  New  York,  particularly  Man- 
hattan, is  impossible.  You  know  well  what  the  problem  is ;  how  intolerable  are  present 
conditions.  It  is  needless  to  tell  you  farther  about  the  lack  of  air  and  sunlight,  with 
all  its  attendant  evils,  which  characterizes  so  much  of  New  York  housing.  You  have 
been  through  that  time  and  time  again.  I  believe  that  you  are  much  more  interested 
in  receiving  suggestions  for  relief  from  this  state  of  affairs.  To  that  end,  I  would 
esteem  it  a  privilege  to  he  allowed  to  submit  for  your  consideration  certain  ideas  which 
my  recent  trips  abroad  have  brought  me  to  believe  are  quite  adaptable  to  our  conditions. 

No  matter  where  I  went,  no  matter  whom  I  talked  with,  I  came  away  with  the 
same  impression,  an  impression  of  the  marked  centrifugal  tendencies  of  city  housing, 
the  tendency  toward  the  single  house  set  in  its  own  garden ;  everywhere  that  was  the 
goal  toward  which  all  city  housing  reformers  were  striving.  Nowhere  was  it  more 
strongly  brought  out  than  at  Vienna,  at  the  Ninth  International  Housing  Congress. 
There  1,400  delegates,  representing  all  the  countries  of  Europe,  unanimously  concurred 
in  regarding  this  as  the  only  real  solution  of  the  problem. 

Think  what  this  means;  the  charm  of  the  home  bathed  in  sunlight  from  morn  till 
eve.  gay  with  many  flowers  round  about,  sheltered  by  trees  which  break  the  raw  cold  winds 
of  winter,  yet  do  not  hinder  the  coolins:  breezes  of  summer.  Everywhere  is  that  much 
sought  "Light  and  Air''  distributing  freely  its  health-giving  qualities  to  all.  Here 
life  is  a  joy:  a  life  worth  living,  free  from  that  dreading  of  the  morrow  which  so 
often  obsesses  the  tenement  dweller  in  his  sordid  cell  of  bricks.  Little  wonder  if  the 
father  stays  at  home,  for  here  there  is  a  place  for  him  to  work  where  he  may  feel 
that  everything  he  does  is  for.  the  good  of  his  family.  And  a  happy  family  it  is,  too. 
^Vhy  shouldn't  it  be,  where  the  children  may  play  to  their  hearts'  content  free  from 
the  danger  and  dirt  of  the  street,  revelling  in  space  and  in  nature.  Free  scope  is  given 
to  their  imaginations.  Play  becomes  spontaneous  and  natural  and.  so,  healthy.  All  of 
which  relieves  the  mother  of  much  bother  and  worry;  a  contrast  to  the  tenement  bar- 
rack. What  a  delight  for  a  family  to  be  alone;  no  one  prying  in  at  all  hours  of  day 
and  night.  What  a  gain  to  the  decency  of  family  life.  No  piano  overhead,  no  carous- 
ing party  below,  but  all  quiet  and  peace,  glorious  nights  to  sleep  in,  glorious  holidays 
to  rest  in.  Nor  is  the  air  poisoned  with  the  fetid  dust  of  the  street  or  the  rottiiifg 
garbage  of  the  court;  instead  that  nostril  satisfying  freshness  of  free  air  purified  by 
the  leaves;  perfumed  by  many  flowers.  Think  what  it  must  mean  in  increased  effi- 
ciency on  the  part  of  the  workers  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  live  under  such  conJi 
tions.     Think  what  it  must  mean  to  the  mother  raising  a  family. 

And  that  garden,  too,  is  a  source  of  joy,  for  what  tastes  better  than  the 
vegetables,  fresh  from  one's  own  garden,  raised  under  one's  own  watchful  care.  Thc>- 
mean,  too,  a  saving  in  the  food  bill  while  they  la'^t  and  they  help  in  another  way 
too,  for  those  very  vegetables  and  flowers  assist  powerfully  in  fostering  a  community 
spirit.  Neighbors  get  together  to  swap  experiences,  their  very  troubles  form  an  easy 
bond  of  sympathy,  and  so  there  grows  a  feeling  of  common  interest,  which  soon  ex- 
tends to  all  the  affairs  of  the  settlement.  So  the  town  is  begot,  so  citizens  are  made, 
men  capable  of  entering  earnestly  and  sympatheticalh'  into  the  civic  life  of  the  com- 
munity. Ncj-  does  it  stop  with  the  man.  W^iat  better  start  in  life  could  the  child 
have  than  to  pass  his  early  years  amid  such  surroundings.  Every  incentive  is  opened 
to  him  to  lead  a  normal  life.     Thrift  abounds;  he  soon  learns  tri  save;  self-respect  is 


104 

everj'wherc  evident.  He  soon  learns  habits  of  cleanliness.  He  learns  instinctively  to 
love  the  country  so  that  he  can  never  becom/;  more  than  a  passing  tolcrator  of  tene- 
ment life.  He  is  fortunate  in  his  family  lite,  for  it  is  a  unit;  wholesome  in  its  integ- 
rity. All,  parents  and  children,  become  imbued  with  a  sense  of  responsibility  which 
makes  for  steadfastness  and  rightmindedness.  Dissension  gains  little  foothold,  for  all 
are  too  occupied  to  fmd  fault.  Social  unrest  is  tempered  and  good  citizenship  abounds. 
Last  but  not  least,  the  death  rate  drops  markedly,  and  the  hospitals  go  begging  for 
patients.  The  police  courts  grow  idle.  The  poorfarms  seek  only  for  occupants.  The 
city  budget  falls,  the  tax  rate  decreases. 

However,  it  is  one  thing  to  talk  about  country  life,  the  joys  of  which  most  of  us 
know  full  well,  and  quite  another  in  finding  how  to  bring  people  out  to  it.  As  is  only 
natural,  people  do  not  care  to  live  far  from  their  work.  After  a  hard  day  in  town,  one 
cannot  be  expected  to  spend  a  long  weary  hour  or  two  jammed  into  an  already  burst- 
ing train,  only  to  be  forced  out  long  before  daybreak  to  repeat  the  torture  back  into 
town  again.  Much  depends  on  this  question  of  transit.  Every  device  capable  of  mov- 
ing crowds  back  and  forth  easily  and  cheaply  should  be  investigated.  A  plan  should 
be  made  which  would  take  account  of  the  probable  growth  of  the  city  far  into  the  fu- 
ture. Main  radial  lines  for  traffic  should  be  determined;  lines  connecting  the  outlying 
points  should  be  provided  for.  Sites  for  public  buildings,  parks,  squares  and  play- 
grounds should  be  laid  out.  And  as  the  city  extends  up  to  these  points  care  should 
be  taken  to  see  that  property  owners  conform  to  these  plans.  It  is  most  interesting  to 
see  what  England  is  doing  along  this  line  under  her  new  Town  Planning  Act,  what 
Germany  is  doing  in  many  of  her  towns,  and  how  France  is  even  contemplating  mak- 
ing this  town  extension  planning  compulsory. 

It  is  all  very  well  to  make  these  plans  and  to  work  out  an  ideal  transit  scheme, 
but  the  great  majority  of  workers  are  not  going  out  unless  their  means  of  livelihood 
goes  too.  Shops,  distributing  houses  and  certain  factories,  in  particular  those  for  the 
manufacture  of  seasonable  goods,  have  to  remain  in  town,  but  nearly  all  the  other 
factories  are  free  to  move  out.  The  remission  of  the  whole  or  part  of  the  taxes  on 
the  factories  coming  out  has  been  declared  unconstitutional.  Communities  can  do 
little  in  the  way  of  offering  cheap  land  or  special  privileges.  It  is  useless  to  talk  to 
manufacturers  about  the  increased  eiYiciency  of  labor  in  the  country.  The  chief  way 
he  can  be  reached  is  through  his  pocketbook.  He  can  be  reached  on  that  side  in  one 
most  important  way,  and  that  is  through  cheaper  and  better  transportation  and  storage 
facilities.  This  implies  the  working  out  of  a  big  comprehensive  system  of  through 
and  connecting  tracks,  yards,  sidings,  terminals,  and  distributing  points  of  harbors, 
docks  and  canals,  with  all  their  connections  with  the  former;  of  freight  subways  an<l 
trolley  routes ;  of  teaming  routes  for  motor  or  for  horses  with  all  their  connections 
with  the  through  routes.  How  interestingly  some  of  the  German  towns  like  Hamburg 
or  Bremen  have  solved  these  problems. 

Nor  is  it  enough  to  attract  the  factories  out  to  outlying  regions.  Unless  some- 
thing more  is  done,  the  great  horde  will  continue  to  live  in  its  huddled  East  Side  and 
commute  out  to  the  factories.  The  workers  must  be  educated.  They  must  be  shown 
in  every  way  that  can  reach  their  imagination  the  overwhelming  advantages  of  living 
outside,  and,  more  than  that,  they  must  be  shown  exactly  where  to  go  and  how  to  get 
there,  and  to  overcome  their  considerable  inertia  they  should  be  given  a  little  shove 
to  start  them  off. 

Even  after  they  are  once  out  there  the  battle  is  not  won.  They  must  be  made  to 
stay.  They  have  given  up  much  when  they  have  left  their  crowded  quarters.  They 
must  be  given  that  which  will  compensate  for  their  loss.  As  far  as  possible,  they 
should  be  located  near  others  of  their  own  race  and  tongue.  The  social  life  of  the 
congested  city  district,  the  variety  and  attractiveness  of  the  amusements  and  recrea- 
tions more  than  make  up.  in  the  opinion  of  most  of  the  dwellers,  for  the  hardness  of 
life  in  the  cramped  city  home.  There  are  many  suggestions  for  supplying  this  deficit 
in  the  outlying  districts.  England  in  particular  is  full  of  them.  The  terms  "Neigh- 
borhood Centre,"  "Social  Centre,"  "Social  Club,"  "Social  Hall,"  "Community  Hall."  are 
full  of  possibilities.  Through  their  mediumship  wholesome  and  attractive  recreation 
can  be  and  is  provided  for  the  community.  Nor  is  it  doled  out  to  theni,  as  it  might 
sound,  but  rather  it  is  provided  by  the  residents  themselves.  During  the  evening  there 
are  all  the  features  of  social  club  life,  games,  music,  reading,  talks,  moving  pictures,  or 
what  not;  during  the  day  there  is  tennis,  croquet,  bowling  and  whatever  may  be  the 
national  sport  of  the  people  of  the  district. 

The  child  has  far  better  opportunities  for  healthy  physical  development,  but  unless 
considerable  attention  is  paid  to  the  school  question  he  will  miss  much  as  compared 
with  the  crowded  city  region.  However,  in  America,  we  do  not  need  to  worry  about 
this,  for  ihis  is  usually  one  of  the  things  we  do  best. 

There  are  other  things  to  be  considered  too;   shops,   stores   and   markets.     The 


105 

residents  must  not  have  to  go  into  town  for  their  commodities.  They  should  be 
right  at  hand  and  central ;  a  problem  which  has  been  so  admirably  worked  out  in 
many  of  the  English  suburban  communities. 

Again  protection  against  burglary,  tire,  etc.,  is  a  whole  problem  in  itself,  finding 
its  solution  in  adequately  lighted  streets  and  an  efficient  fire  and  police  force. 

Once  we  have  induced  the  workers  to  come  out  to  our  suburbs  the  great  ques- 
tion remains  as  to  how  and  by  what  means  we  are  going  to  house  them.  Many 
schemes  have  been  tried,  but  most  of  them  work  far  more  to  the  advantage  of  the 
owner  of  the  property  than  they  do  to  that  of  the  tenant.  Yet  they  can  be  made  to 
work  to  the  great  advantage  of  the  tenants,  and  at  the  same  time,  pay  a  reasonable 
return  to  the  owner  of  the  land.  I  beg  to  be  allowed  to  describe  the  housing  move- 
ment that  has  been  having  such  a  phenomenal  growth  recently  in  England.  1  refer 
to  the  Garden  Suburb  and  Garden  Citj'  movements. 

The  English  Garden  Suburb  is  a  co-partnership  community,  in  which  each  of  the 
tenants,  instead  of  owning  his  house  and  land  buys  shares  in  a  co-operative  company, 
which  owns  and  operates  the  whole  community.  A  central  body  in  London,  called 
the  Co-partnership  Tenants,  Limited,  gives  great  assistance  in  the  formation  of  a 
local  society,  and  secures  a  government  loan  on  two-thirds  of  the  value  of  the  land 
and  property,  at  an  interest  rate  3  1-2  per  cent  per  annum.  This  central  body  then 
finances  loan  stocks,  which  pays  4  per  cent,  per  annum  and  a  share  stock  which  is 
to  be  purchased  by  the  tenants  and  which  pays  a  maximum  of  5  per  cent,  per  annum. 
The  prospective  tenant  of  a  house  is  required'  to  buy  this  share  stock  to  the  value  of  £50, 
but  he  is  required  to  pay  only  five  or  ten  pounds  down.  Any  profits  that  accrue  to 
the  society — and  after  paying  all  charges  and  interests,  the  usual  amount  is  between 
5  per  cent,  and  10  per  cent. — are  paid  back  to  the  tenants  in  the  form  of  share  stock. 
When  the  tenant  possesses  £50  worth  of  share  stock,  he  receives  a  money  interest  on  it. 
He  is  expected  to  continue  to  purchase  share  stocks  up  to  a  value  equivalent  to  that 
of  his  house  and  land.  The  rents  on  the  houses  are  similar  to  those  on  other  houses 
in  the  same  general  district,  but  the  tenant  in  one  of  these  copartnership  suburbs  has 
the  great  advantage  of  knowing  that  under  the  terms  of  the  foundation  of  the  so- 
ciety there  can  never  be  more  than  twelve  houses  to  the  acre.  Further,  every  part  of 
the  community  is  designed  for  the  use  and  enjoyment  not  of  the  individual  but  of  the 
whole  bod}'.  A  scheme  for  the  whole  acreage  is  laid  out  at  the  beginning,  and  all 
future  roads  and  all  future  buildings  must  conform  to  this  layout.  Spaces  are  re- 
served for  public  buildings,  civic,  social,  educational  and  religious.  Spaces  are  also 
reserved  for  parks,  playgrounds,  tennis  courts,  croquet  lawns,  bowling  greens,  etc. 
Space  is  strictly  set  aside  for  stores  and  offices.  A  planting  scheme  is  arranged  for 
the  streets,  trees  are  set  out,  the  houses  are  made  to  conform  to  certain  lines  which 
will  give  the  best  general  effect.  In  the  working  out  of  all  these  plans,  and  in  the 
carrying  on  of  the  life  of  the  community,  the  tenant  has  full  say,  for  the  tenants 
elect  a  committee  who  has  charge  of  the  affairs  of  the  community. 

When  such  a  community  is  started  in  connection  with  a  large  industrial  estab- 
lishment, it  is  technically  known  as  a  Garden  Village.  It  differs  from  the  garden 
suburb  only  in  that  one  man  provides  most  of  the  capital  for  its  launching.  This  man, 
h  iwever,  must  be  careful  to  do  everything  he  can  to  make  the  tenants  feel  that  the 
place  is  theirs,  and  that  they  are  not  being  patronized  by  their  employer. 

The  third  of  these  communities  is  called  a  Garden  City.  This  is  a  self-contained 
community,  with  all  the  means  of  existence  forming  an  integral  part  of  it.  It  is  laid 
out  along  similar  lines,  and  carried  on  in  a  similar  way  to  that  of  the  above-described 
Garden  Suburbs.  It  differs  in  two  marked  features,  one  is  that  a  great  proportion  of 
the  area  of  the  town  is  set  aside  for  all  time  for  farm  allotments  with  the  idea  that 
every  dweller  in  the  centre  of  the  community  shall  have  permanently  on  the  out- 
skirts, a  tract  reserved  for  raising  vegetables  and  flowers.  The  other  feature  is  that 
a  space  to  the  leeward  of  the  town  is  permanently  reserved  for  factory  sites,  this 
tract  being  in  proximity  to  the  railroad.  The  first  Garden  City  at  Letchworth,  Eng- 
land, has  grown  in  six  years  from  nothing  to  a  community  of  6,000  inhabitants,  with 
several  streets  of  stores  and  offices,  and  a  large  district  covered  by  some  twenty  fac- 
tories.    The  place  is  sound  financially,  and  has  proved  a  most  desirable  place  to  live  in. 

In  general,  the  Garden  City  and  Suburb  idea,  has  been  one  of  the  most  rapid  and 
healthy  growth,  the  Co-partnership  Tenants.  Ltd.,  have  alread}'  $5,000,000  invested  in 
these  communities,  and  this  is  only  a  part  of  the  total  capital  invested  in  them.  There 
are  not  only  some  20  of  these  suburbs  in  England  with  as  many  more  in  prospect, 
but  all  through  the  continent  of  Europe,  in  Germany  in  particular,  similar  communi- 
ties are  being  formed.  At  the  International  Housing  Congress  in  Vienna,  the  one 
thing  on  which  all  delegates  agreed  was  the  desirability  of  forming  such  communities 
as  a  solution  of  the  housing  problem.     In  Germany  they  have  carried  it  one  step  fur- 


106 

ther,  and  are  using  the  capital  which  the  government  accumulates  on  its  great  system 
of  workingmen's  sick  insurance  to  loan  out  at  3  per  cent,  up  to  the  value  of  80  per  cent, 
to  100  per  cent,  of  the  land  and  houses  in  these  copartnership  suburban  communities. 
Thus,  they  are  using  the  money  which  is  saved  to  cure  sickness  and  to  prevent  the 
same.  The  best  feature  of  these  communities  is  the  fact  that  the  tenant  himself 
receives  all  the  advantage  of  the  unearned  increment  of  land  values.  At  Letchworth 
lliis  has  already  amounted  to  over  50  per  cent,  of  the  original  cost  of  the  land.  A 
tenant  is  independent  for  he  can  hold  his  property  as  long  as  he  wants.  Further,  it 
accomplishes  great  good  in  that  the  tenants  through  their  interest  in  the  general  com- 
munity life,  develop  an  interest  in  city  affairs,  and  thereby  become  the  best  of  citizens. 

Despite  the  desirability  of  living  outside  the  city,  there  are  still  many  people  to 
whom  this  is  impossible.  There  are  many  who  must  remain  in  the  crowded  tenement 
districts.  That  being  the  case  wc  are  bound  to  give  them  as  many  of  the  advantages  of 
the  country  as  possible.  The  present  building  code  of  New  York  City  has  made  long 
steps  in  this  direction  and  great  credit  is  due  the  men  who  are  responsible  for  it. 
Realizing  the  difficulties  they  had  in  obtaining  as  much  as  they  did,  there  are  only  a 
few  minor  items  that  we  can  suggest,  where  the  code  could  be  immediately  improved. 
If  windows  were  required  to  be  larger,  it  would  help  greatly  in  the  admitting  of  more 
light  and  air  in  the  rooms.  If  the  arrangement  of  rooms  was  insisted  upon  so  that 
in  a  given  suite  there  could  always  be  a  through  ventilation  from  street  to  court  or 
from  yard  to  yard,  it  would  materially  improve  its  habitableness.  Agam,  if  a  reason- 
ably large  opening  were  made  at  the  street  level  between  the  yard  or  street  and 
the  court,  it  would  permit  air  to  draw  up  through  the  interior  court  in  a  way  that 
now  is  impossible.  Aside  from  these  immediately  possible  changes  it  would,  of 
course,  be  desirable  to  increase  the  number  of  cubic  feet  required  for  a  person  from 
400  to  600  at  least,  and  also  to  increase  the  proportion  of  the  lot  left  vacant. 

None  of  these  suggested  changes,  however,  really  come  down  to  the  root  of  the 
whole  matter.  We  have  been  shown  that  sunlight  and  air  kill  the  germs  of  disease, 
in  particular  those  of  tuberculosis.  It  is  most  desirable  that  a  certain  amount  of  sun- 
light should  come  into  every  room  of  every  apartment  every  day  in  the  year.  What 
this  minimum  should  be  is  difficult  to  determine,  but  it  is  possible  to  have  at  least 
one-half  hour's  sunlight  in  every  room,  even  on  the  shortest  day  of  the  year.  M.  A.  A. 
Rey,  of  Paris,  has  shown  that  if  tenement  and  streets  are  run  north  and  south  it  is 
possible  to  have  sunlight  everywhere  even  though  the  streets  be  comparatively  nar- 
row, so  on  a  New  York  City  block,  if  rows  of  five  or  six-story  tenements,  two  rooms 
deep  are  run  paralleled  with  the  avenues,  it  is  possible  by  leaving  twenty  feet  clear 
space  between  these  rows  for  the  buildings  to  occupy  70  per  cent,  of  the  lot,  as  now 
allowed,  and  at  the  same  time  give  this  half  hour  of  sunlight  in  every  room,  even  on 
the  21st  of  December.  This  half  hour  is  the  minimum,  and  most  of  the  time  the 
rooms  would  receive  far  more  than  this.  Such  a  scheme  would  not  be  possible  on  a 
typical  city  block,  divided,  as  it  now  is,  by  25  by  100  lots.  It  would  also  necessitate 
the  waiving  of  the  present  building  law  requirement  of  a  j-ard  to  be  reserved  at  the 
rear  of  the  tenement.  If  the  buildings  covered  only  50  per  cent,  of  the  lot,  those  open 
spaces  between  the  lines  of  the  tenements  might  be  30  to  35  feet  wide.  Those  open  spaces 
are  full  of  possibilities  for  public  social  use.  They  give  an  excellent  place  for  the 
children  to  play  where  they  may  be  under  the  watchful  eyes  of  their  mothers  in  the 
apartments  above.  At  the  same  time  they  are  away  from  the  danger  and  dirt  of  the 
public  street.  These  open  spaces  may  be  made  most  attractive  with  lawns,  flower- 
beds and  shrubbery,  and  they  may  be  shut  off  at  the  street  ends  with  trees  which 
would  not  only  give  privacy',  but  will  add  considerably  to  the  eft'ect  by  means  of  alter- 
nating buildings  and  trees,  so  seen  when  looking  down  the  street.  This  means  con- 
siderable in  the  way  of  cleanliness,  for  every  thing  is  open  to  the  inspection  of  the 
city  officials.  Furthermore,  much  less  dust  and  noise  would  penetrate  into  the  interior 
of  the  tenements.  Further,  this  isolation  of  buildings  in  groups  means  a  considerable 
gain  in  the  possibilities  of  fighting  fire  or  conflagration.  As  the  buildings  are  two 
feet  deep,  and  as  every  apartment  extends  through  from  front  to  back,  an  excellent 
circulation  of  air  is  everywhere  possible.  Such  an  arrangement  means  a  great 
deal  in  the  way  of  privacy,  and  the  development  of  family  life.  It  is  believed  that 
such  tenements  could  be  built  at  a  cost  very  little  more  than  of  the  present  dumbbell 
type,  providing  at  the  same  time  nearly  as  much  rentable  space. 

After  all  this  whole  question  of  housing  reform  is  one  of  business  interest.  Con- 
sider the  amount  of  money  which  the  city  budget  annually  allots  to  hospitals,  tuber- 
culosis sanitariums,  asylums,  poorfarms,  reform  institutions,  including  courts,  jails 
and  reformatories,  and  to  the  police  and  fire  department  and  then  consider  how,  after 
the  city  has  spent  considerable  money  in  curing  a  person  from  the  tenements,  they 
send  them  back  with  the  instructions  to  get  as  much  sunshine  and  air,  knowing  all 
the  time  that  this  sunlight  and  air  is  almost  impossible  to  find.     Little  wonder  is  it 


107 

then  that  the  person  again  becomes  a  charge  upon  the  public.  If  the  people  were 
properly  housed  everyone  agrees  that  quite  a  little  of  this  expense  could  be  reduced. 
Capitalize  this  reduction  and  apply  it  to  the  forming  of  Garden  Suburbs  or  the  scien- 
tific improving  of  tenements  and  would  it  not  far  more  than  pay  for  itself  purely  as 
a  financial  proposition.  The  one  thing  that  the  city  as  a  city  can  do  to  help  this 
would  seem  to  be  the  providing  of  adequate  transit  and  transportation,  so  and  only 
so  can  the  city  decentralize  its  dwellers.  So  and  only  can  housing  reform  be  made 
effective. 

Chairman  Cantor :  What  proportion  of  the  funds  in  copartnership  housing  opera- 
tions is  provided  by  the  State? 

Mr.  Ford :  Generally  two-thirds  and  one-third  is  private  capital  although  some- 
time private  capital  furnishes  the  entire  amount  as  in  Earswick,  Doncaster,  and  Wolver- 
hampton where  some  special  interest,  colliery  or  factory,  has  started  it  and  given  the 
capital. 

Among  the  things  that  could  be  done  to  lessen  the  evils  of  congestion  one  would 
be  to  provide  more  space  for  windows  and  let  apartments  run  through  from  streets  to 
courts  or  courts  to  yards  so  as  to  give  opposite  openings  into  the  air.  In  the  bor- 
oughs where  the  street  maps  had  not  been  finally  made  and  adopted,  streets  should  be 
made  to  run  as  nearly  north  and  south  as  possible  and  the  blocks  between  these  should 
allow  for  dwellings  only  two  rooms  deep. 

Chairman  Cantor :  What  would  you  do  with  the  worst  tenements  in  New  York 
now? 

Mr.  Ford:  We  would  undertake  building  operations  on  a  large  scale  in  the  new 
boroughs  and  the  buildings  should  be  constructed  two  rooms  deep  from  street  to 
alley.  The  buildings  being  preferably  not  over  four  stories  high.  These  should  not 
cover  more  than  70  per  cent,  of  the  lot.  The  intervening  open  space  could  be  used  for 
common  meeting  and  recreation  places  such  as  are  not  provided  under  the  present 
law.  The  mothers  would  have  an  opportunity  to  watch  the  children  at  play  in  a  way 
not  possible  at  present. 

Mr.  Cantor :  Would  it  be  possible  for  the  city  to  condemn  every  third  house  ? 
Mr.  Ford :  This  would  not  give  more  sunlight  in  rooms  unless  window  spacft  ij 
increased.     There  should  be  a  large  opening  to  street  or  yard  at  the  base  of  the  court 
so  that  the  latter  may  act  as  a  funnel  to  such  fresh  air  up  through  it. 
Mr.  Schaeffer :  How  large  a  court  opening  would  you  suggest? 
Mr.  Ford :  Indefinite  without  experiment,  several  times  the  present  opening  which 
is  3  by  7  feet. 

Mr.  Schaeffer:  Should  this  be  made  at  or  below  the  street  level? 
Mr.  Ford :  If  you  open  it  large  enough  it  can  be  made  below  the  street  level. 
The  tenement  house  problem  must  be  dealt  with  as  a  Greater  New  York  problem 
because  it  is  not  possible  to  deal  with  it  exclusively  as  a  Manhattan  problem  since 
conditions  in  the  other  boroughs  differ  so  greatly. 

Chairman  Cantor:  Has  there  been  mifch  immigration  from  London  or  do  out- 
siders now  settle  there? 

Mr.  Ford  :  Both  movements  of  population  have  occurred.  For  instance,  in  the 
demolition  of  dwellings  the  people  dispersed  have  to  a  certain  extent  gone  out  into 
outlying  boroughs.  Many  people  who  come  from  the  city  settle  in  the  outlying  bor- 
oughs. London  almost  uniqueh^  stretches  out  gradually  and  there  is  no  sudden  break 
from  tenements  5  to  6  stories  high  to  open  country. 

In  London  transit  lines  are  better  arranged  and  tend  to  distribute  population.  In 
Birmingham  it  is  true  that  many  people  come  into  the  centre  of  the  city  from  Bourne- 
ville  and  Harborne. 

The  Secretary :  Is  it  not  true  that  the  good  distribution  of  oopulation  is  due  also 
to  the  fact  that  factories  are  better  distributed  than  in  New  York  City? 

Mr.  Ford :  Yes.  That  is  a  very  important  cause  in  that  it  saves  carfare.  That  is 
an  important  item  in  the  workingman's  budget. 

In  London  the  two-penny  rate  runs  out  to  Hampstead  for  workingmen. 
Ernest    Flagg,    Archite'ct,    35    Wall    Street.    New    York.    January    30,    1911. 


108 

Address  by  Prof.  Stanley  D.  Adshead,  Head  of  the  Liverpool  University  Depart- 
ment OF  Civic  Design,  Before  the  New  York  City  Commission  on  Congestion 
OF  Population,  Thursday  Afternoon,  August  25th,  in  the  City  Hall. 

"Standards  of  Efficiency." 

Nothing  is  so  apt  to  break  up  one's  opinions  as  regards  what  constitutes  the  mini- 
mum requirements  for  public  control  so  as  to  insure  efficiency,  safety  and  satisfactory 
hygienic  conditions,  like  a  visit  to  a  neighboring  country  where  other  standards  are 
maintained  which  differ  from  those  to  which  one  has  become  accustomed.  It  is  my 
privilege  at  the  present  moment  to  be  enjoying  for  the  first  time  a  visit  to  the  United 
States  and  tc  see  here  your  accepted  standards,  in  particular  those  which  refer  to 
the  public  safety  in  matters  of  construction,  transportation,  hygiene  and  the  mainte- 
nance of  streets,  parks  and  public  places  of  all  kinds.  A  new  view  always  carries 
with  it  a  strong  impression  and  as  such  may  have  value.  I  therefore  take  the  liberty 
briefly  of  putting  before  you  some  of  my  impressions  of  the  things  which  I  have  seen 
since  I  arrived  in  New  York. 

I  would  prefer  that  my  observations  would  be  entirely  complimentarj^  but  if  so 
they  might  be  insincere,  and  rather  than  this  I  prefer  to  risk  the  consequences  which 
befall  those  who,  though  sincere  are  yet  uncomplimentary. 

The  City  of  New  York  is  to  be  congratulated  upon  having  instituted  the  Com- 
mission on  Congestion.  I  note  that  the  Congestion  Committee  has  outlined  its  inves- 
tigations under  the  following  heads  : 

First — The  present  congestion  of  population  and  room  overcrowding  throughout 
the  city. 

Second — The  economic  and  administrative  causes  of  congestion. 

Third — The  methods  now  employed  in  this  country  and  abroad  for  relieving  and 
preventing  congestion. 

Fourth — Transit  facilities  and  their  relation  to  congestion. 

Overcrowding  of  Manhattan  exists  almost  to  the  extent  of  two-thirds  more 
than  in  any  European  city.  This  to  my  mind  is  due  directly  to  the  peculiar  conditions 
of  its  position,  it  being  practically  an  island  and  directly  to  the  immense  value  of  land 
and  lack  of  foresight  shown  by  the  public  authorities  in  the  immediate  past.  Of  course 
when  we  talk  of  1,6C0  to  the  acre  in  New  York  and  600  in  London,  we  must  not  over- 
look the  fact  that  New  York  possesses  an  exceptionally  healthy  climate  and  com- 
paratively wide  streets. 

New  Tciieiiieiit  House  Law  Inadequate. 
At  the  same  time  even  admitting  this  no  argument  can  convince  that  a  tenement 
building  code  is  satisfactory  which  allows  a  tenement  to  be  erected  to  a  height  of  150 
feet  in  a  hundred-foot  street  with  as  much  as  70  per  cent,  of  its  area  covered,  the 
remaining  30  per  cent,  being  an  area  not  more  than  twelve  feet  wide  up  to  a  height 
of  60  feet  and  for  the  rest  only  a  few  feet  wider. 

Natural  Light  Shut  Out  of  New  Law  Tenements. 

It  has  been  my  privilege  to  visit  many  of  your  new  law  tenements  and  it  was 
very  distressing  to  find  that  natural  light  was  quite  out  of  the  question  in  most  of  the 
rooms  overloking  these  areas,  artificial  light  being  used  during  the  whole  of  the  day. 
I  hold  no  brief  for  the  European  slums,  rather  the  reverse,  but  I  am  afraid  that  in 
the  matter  of  admitted  requirements  as  regards  light  and  air  in  England  and  Germany, 
there  is  no  question  but  that  the  standard  set  by  New  York  is  infinitely  too  low. 

In  the  New  York  slum  my  impression  is  that  the  occupant  cannot  be  described  as 
poor,  they  are  exceedingly  well  dressed,  well  fed  and  clean  in  their  person.  When 
compared  with  the  slum  dweller  in  England  the  cleanliness  and  tidiness  of  their  rooms 
are  beyond  all  question  superior.  Certainly  New  York  shows  no  appearance  of  either 
poverty  or  distress  such  as  are  evidenced  in  British  towns. 

No  doubt  the  owners  of  real  estate  in  New  York  as  in  other  countries,  especially 
Germany,  are  holding  up  their  property  on  a  fictitious  and  artificial  basis  if  the  land 
continue  to  be  used  for  tenements  for  the  working  population.  The  real  value  of  any 
site  depends  not  upon  artificial  conditions  which  a  short-sighted  policy  has  fenced 
around  it.  but  upon   its  appropriate  use  as  regards 

a.  Class  of  building. 

b.  Efficiency  with  which,  when  erected,  the  business  of  the  building  is  con- 
ducted, and  these  always  accompanied  by  sound  hygienic  conditions. 

It  appears  to  me  that  the  solution  of  the  New  York  problem  is  to  advocate  as  far 
as  possible : 

1.  The  removal  of  all  factories  and  businesses  out  of  the  restricted  area  of 
Manhattan  wherever  such  businesses  can  be  carried  on  elsewhere. 


109 


2.  To  encourage  in  every  possible  way  the  construction  of  more  arterial  lines 
of  communication,  particularly  by  subway. 

3.  To  open  up  all  undeveloped  and  desirable  land  within  twenty  miles  of  the 
City  of  New  York  by  constructing  new  lines  of  communication  and  so  decentralizing 
the  city. 

There  w-ill  ever  remain  a  large  class  who  wish  to  reside  next  to  their  work  in 
the  town.  This  being  so  we  must  take  care  and  see  that  such  dwellings  are  hygien- 
ically  satisfactory  in  every  way,  but  our  immediate  interest  should  concerti  itself  with 
the  erection  of  dwellings  in  the  outlying  districts. 

The  policy  of  the  London  County  Council  during  the  early  years  of  its  adminis- 
tration as  also  the  policy  in  Liverpool  and  other  large  provincial  towns,  has  been  to 
pull  down  and  reconstruct  to  improve  conditions  in  the  matter  of  their  housing  and 
without  much  regard  to  the  appropriate  use  of  the  site  or  its  possible  more  appropriate 
use  for  business  purposes;  but  it  has  been  found  that  this  has  been  a  mistake  and 
New  York  would  do  well  not  to  fall  into  the  error  of  these  towns. 
The  English  Town  Planning  Act. 

At  first  sight  this  appears  to  be  an  act  which  will  promote  the  development  of 
new  towns,  but  this  is  not  quite  so,  as  actually  it  is  restrictive  rather  than  constructive. 
It  is  essentially  a  supplement  to  the  local  by-laws,  further  restricting  the  use  of  land. 
It  is  an  adoptive  act  and  applies  to  land  likely  to  be  used  for  building  purposes  so  it 
practically  may  cover  all  unbuilt-on  land  around  the  town.  In  its  application  it  means 
that  the  local  authority  may  decide  entirely  the  use  to  which  the  owner  may  put  his 
land.  The  local  authority  is  empowered  to  control  the  width  and  direction  of  all 
streets,  the  use  to  which  the  land  may  be  put,  whether  for  cottages,  factories  or  busi- 
ness premises.  The  exact  wording  of  the  act  is  "the  height  and  character  of  the 
buildings  and  the  number  which  may  be  erected  on  each  acre." 

I  understand  that  you  have  in  the  City  of  New  York  approximately 
103,000  tenements,  and  responsible  for  their  sanitary  condition  you  have  some  300 
insoectors,  I  consider  this  number  to  be  totally  inadequate,  having  regard  to  the  over- 
crowding which  is  sure  to  exist.  In  some  tw^elve  tenements  I  have  myself  inspected, 
the  areas  were  littered  w-ith  refuse  and  fetid  matter  which  must  vitiate  the  air  and 
be  very  dangerous  to  the  occupants  of  the  back  rooms. 

Elevated  Boisterously  Noisy. 

Your  overhead  railway  will  no  doubt  be  removed  in  due  course.  New  York  needs 
more  wood  block  streets  and  should  pay  more  attention  to  the  question  of  reducing 
the  noise. 

Nezv  York  Architecture  Finest  in  the  World. 

The  architecture  of  New  York  is  the  finest  of  any  wooden  architecture  in  the 
world.  Unlike  England  and  Germany,  and  to  some  extent,  France,  New  York  and 
its  street  architecture  is  never  trivial,  everything  is  on  a  grand  scale.  Y'our  tall 
buildings  are  a  credit  to  your  ingenuity. 

In  your  building  constructions,  you  are  far  ahead  of  all  the  other  nations  in  the 
world. 

From  the  economic  standpoint  no  doubt,  more  control  will  shortly  have  to  be 
exercised  as  regards  the  distribution  of  your  tall  blocks,  else  not  only  will  the  indi- 
vidual suffer  but  the  city  at  large. 

Summary  of  Tenement  Conditions,  June  30,  1910. 

Number  of  Tenements,  New  Law  Old  Law 

June  30,  1910. Total  No.  Tenements.  Tenements. 

Manhattan    41.773  4,243  37,530 

The   Bronx    7.800  2,480  5.320 

Brooklvn    48.207  8.063  40,144 

Queens'    4,533  1,965  2,568 

Richmond     553  9  544 

New  Y'ork  City 102,886  16,760  86,106 

Number  of  Apartments,  June  30,  1910. 

Manhattan 511.029  107.712  403,317 

The  Bronx 76,994  41,358  35,636 

Brooklyn    250,260  67,807  182,453 

Queens         18.828  8.294  10,534 

Richmond  2.049  53  1,996 

New  Y'ork  City 859.160 225.224 633.936 


110 


Proportion  of   Population  Living  at  a  Given  Density,   1910. 


District. 


Population. 


Percentage 
of  Total  of 
Manhattan. 


Percentage 
of  Total  of 

Greater 
New  York. 


Manhattan,  Wards  10,  1 1,  17 375,316 

Manhattan,  Ward  13 64,651 

Manhattan,  Ward  7 102,108 

Manhattan,  Wards  4,  9,  14;  Brooklyn, 
Ward  16  192,745 

Manhattan,    Wards   6,   8.    16,    19,   20,    21; 

Brooklyn,  Wards  5,  6,  21,  27 743,036 

Manhattan,  Wards  12,  15,  18,  22;  Brooklyn, 
Wards  10,  13,  14,  15,  19,  25,  28 1,450,838 

Manhattan,  Ward  1  ;  Brooklyn,  Wards  1, 
2,  3,  4,  7,  8,  11,  17,  20,  22,  23,  24 506,197 

Manhattan,  Ward  5;   Brooklyn,  Wards  8, 

12,  18,  26 330,949 

Manhattan,  Wards  2,  3;  Brooklyn,  Wards 
29.  30,  31,  32;  Richmond,  all  Wards; 
Queens,  all  Wards;  The  Bronx,  consid- 
ering this  Borough  as  a  whole 1,001,023 


Over  600  to  the  Acre. 

16% 
500  to  600  to  the  Acre. 

2% 
400  to  499  to  the  Acre. 

4% 
300  to  399  to  the  Acre. 

200  to  299  to  the  Acre. 


150  to  199  to  the  Acre. 
100  to  149  to  the  Acre. 

50  to  99  to  the  Acre. 

49  to  25  to  the  Acre. 
Under  25  to  the  Acre. 


7.86% 
1.34% 
2.11% 


4.03% 
15.57% 
30.43% 
10.73% 

6.94% 

20.99% 


Population  of  Each  Borough  in  New  York  in  1900,  1905,  and  1910,  and  Density  Per 

Acre. 

Population  Density        Population  Density    Population  Density 

Borough.                         1900.  Per  Acre.            1905.  Per  Acre.         1910.    Per  Acre. 

Manhattan    [,850.093  13h8        2,112,380  1408        2,331,542         166.1 

The    Bronx 200,507  11           271,630  10.4           430,980           16.5 

Brooklyn    1,166.582  23.48      1,358.686  27.27      1.634.351           32.89 

Queens    152,999  2.4           198,240  2.6          204,041             3.7 

Richmond  67,021  1.8            72.845  1.9            85,969            2.34 

Greater  New  York        3.437.202  16.4        4,013.781  19.1        4.766,883           22.7 


Increase  of  Population  in  Each  Borough  in  New  York  from  1900  to  1905  and  1905  to 
1910,  and  Increases  in   Density   Per  Acre. 

Increase  Increase 
Increase  Density  Increase  Dens- 
Borough               Population  Population     1900        Per     Population  1905     itv  Per 
1900.            1905.        to  1905.     Acre.         1910.  to  1910.     x\cre. 

Manhattan     1,850.093    2,112.380       262.287      187     2.331.542  219,162      15.6 

The    Bronx 200.507       271.630         71.023       2.7         430.Q80  159,350       6.1 

Brooklyn     1,166.582     1.358.686       192.104       3.79     1.634..351  275.665       5.5 

Queens     152.999       198.240         44.828         .2         284.041  85,801       1.1 

Richmond    67.021         72.845           5,698         .1           85.969  13.124         .3 

Greater  New  York    3.437,202    4,013.781       576.579       2.7      4.766,883  753,102       3.6 


Ill 


Heights  of  Tenements  for  Which  Plans  Were  Filed  in  the  Tenement  House  Depart- 
ment from  July  1902  to  December  31,  1910. 


Borough.  Total. 

Manhattan    4,723 

The  Bronx 3,S22 

Brooklyn    12,211 

Queens    2,915 

Richmond    36 

New  York  City..  23,707 


More 
than 


than 
1 -story.  2-story.  3-story.  4-story.  5-story.  6-story.    6-story, 


33 

550 

1,286 

3 

1,872 


4 

590 

6,804 

1,436 

31 

8,865 


11 

770 

4,121 

170 

1 

5,073 


786 

1,862 

544 

17 

3,209 


3,747 

567 

185 

.... 

4,500 


175 
"7 

182 


Classification   of   Old   Law   Tenements  According   to   Structural   Changes    Prescribed 

by  Law,  June  30,  1910. 

Number 
in  which 
orders  to 
make  changes 
have  been 
issued  and 
are  now 
pending. 


Boroughs. 


Number  in 
which  re- 
quirements 
have  been 
met. 


Number  still      Total 
subject  to      Old  Law 
structural    Tenements, 
orders. 


Manhattan    10,054  11,201  16,275  37,530 

The   Bronx    1,984  1,035  2,301  5,320 

Brooklyn    2,777  9,422  37,945  40,144 

Queens    115  188  2,265  2,568 

Richmond    21  47  476  544 

New  York  City 14,951  21,893  49,262  86,106 

Number  of  Dark  Rooms  and  School  Sinks  Remaining  in  Old  Law  Tenements,  June 

30,  1910. 


Rooms 
opening 
Boroughs.             on  air- 
shaft  less 
than  legal 
size. 

Rooms  with 
window 

less  than       Rooms 
legal  size     opening  on 
opening  to       covered 
adjoining         shaft, 
room. 

Rooms 
without 
windows. 

School- 
sinks  or 
privy 
vaults. 

Basement 

dwellings 

Jan.  1, 

1910. 

Manhattan   ....       8,221 
The  Bronx  ....           607 

Brooklyn    13,506 

Queens    625 

Richmond    28 

New  York  City     22,987 

32,442            58,334 
489               2.004 

52,998            63,118 

3,345              1,290 

225                   66 

89,499           124,812 

25,753 

987 

55,208 

3,274 

211 

85,443 

632 

12 

246 

576 

92 

1,558 

14,797 

1,953 

7,117 

490 

91 

24,448 

Number  and  Proportion  of  Tenements  Erected  in 
sive;  Accommodating  Three  to  Over 

Brooklyn  from  1902  to 
Twenty-eight  Families. 

1907,  Inclu- 

Families. 

Number 

Proportion 
.     of  Total. 

3    

1,653 

345 

365 

1,806 

250 

1,147 

180 

25 

22 

24.93% 

4    

5.27% 

5    

5.57%, 

6    

27.57% 

•7 

3.82% 

8    

17  51% 

9    

2  74% 

10    

0.39% 

11    

0.33% 

112 


f'amilies. 

12    

13    

14    

15    

16    

17    

18    

19    ■ 

20    

21    

22 

Accommodating    more    tlian    22    families. 


Proportion 
Number,     of  Total. 


49 
14 
47 
19 
65 
25 
66 
12 
52 
56 
154 
198 

6.550 


0.74% 
0.217o 
Q.727o 
0.29% 
0.99  ' 
0.397o 
1.01% 
0.1 97o 
0.797o 
0.86% 
2.35% 
3.02% 


Number  of  Families  on  Each  Floor  of  Tenements  for  Which   Plans  Were   Filed — 
Januarj'  1  to  December  31,  1909;  January  1  to  December  31,  1910. 

New  ^'ork 
Manhattan.     Bronx.     Brooklyn.    Queens.    Richmond.    City. 


1  family  per  floor,  1909. 

1910. 

Total 

2  families  per  floor,  1909. 

1910. 

Total 

3  families  per  floor,  1909 

1910. 

Total 

4  families  per  floor,  1909. 

1910. 

Total 

5  families  per  floor,  1909. 

1910. 

Total 

6  families  per  floor,  1909. 

1910. 

Total 

More  than   6  per  floor, 

1909    

More   than   6  per   floor, 

1910    

Total 

Total.  1909 

Total,  1910 


62 
2.Z 


193 
128 


22 
34 


281 
204 


11 

95 

321 

56 

2 

485 

34 

375 

669 

211 

2 

1,291 

19 

335 

355 

155 

1 

865 

53 

760 

1,024 

366 

?    2,156 

33 

68 

40 

3 

144 

22 

89 

14 

7 

132 

55 

157 

54 

10 

276 

107 

194 

80 

4 

385 

46 

261 

44 

/ 

358 

153 

455 

124 

11 

743 

88 

112 

6 

206 

30 

161 

10 

201 

118 

273 

16 

407 

72 

63 

9 

144 

41 

70 

9 

120 

113 

133 

18 

264 

114  • 

17 

5 

136 

50 

15 

1 

66 

164 

32 

6 

202 

450 
217 


891 
964 


1.002 
561 


240 
203 


2.587 
1,946 


Total. 


667 


1.855 


1.563 


443 


4.533 


It  will  be  noted  that  in  Manhattan  only  about  one-tenth  of  the  tenements  had  one 
or  two  families  per  floor,  in  The  Bronx  one-half,  in  Brooklyn  four-fifths,  in  Queens 
all  but  one-twentieth,  in  Richmond  all. 

In  Manhattan,  however,  less  than  one-sixtieth  of  the  tenements  had  one  family 
per  floor,  in  The  Bronx  about  one-eighteenth,  in  Brooklyn  over  one-fifth,  in  Queen.?: 
one-eighth,  in  Richfnond  two-fifths. 


113 


Height  of  Buildings  by  Stories  for  Which  Plans  \Yere  Filed  During  1909  and  1910. 


Total. 


2-story.    3-story.     4-story. 


More  than 
5-story.  6-story.    6-story. 


Manhattan,        1909 
1910 

Total 


The  Bronx, 

1909 
1910 

Total 

Brooklyn, 

1909 
1910 

Total 

Queens, 

1909 
1910 

Total 

Richmond, 

1909 
1910 

Total 

450 
217 

667 

891 
964 


1 

3 
3 

64 
38 

309 
119 

1 

6 

102 

428 

59 

25 

302 
309 

445 
567 

84 
62 

57 
130 


1,855 

2 

84 

611 

1,012 

146 

1,002 
561 

58 
38 

496 
249 

416 

252 

15 
7 

17 

12 

"3 

1,563 

2 

84 

611 

1,012 

146 

240 
203 

90 
48 

124 
126 

25 
29 

1 

•• 

New  York  City, 


1909 


New  York  City, 


1910 


Total 


443 

4 
1 

5 

2,587 
1,946 
4,533 


138 

1 

1 


150 


238 


250 
2 


682 

400 

1,082 


54 


736 

593 

1,329 


525 

612 

1,137 


420 
193 
613 


1 

74 

60 

134 


Including  Wards 

Section  Below  14th  Street. 
Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11, 

13, 

14, 

15  and  17. 

Area. 

Percentage 
of  Manhattan. 

Density 
per  Acre. 

Percentage  of 
Greater  New  York. 

2,418.5  A. 

17.22 

1.15 

Population, 
1905. 

35.13 

306.8 

742,135 

18.48 

Population 
1910. 

32.99 

318. 

769,300 

16.13 

Industrial  Condition, 
Assembly  Districts  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6, 

1906. 
,  7,  8.  10, 

12, 

14 

and  16. 

Area. 

Percentage  of 
Manhattan. 

Percentage  of 
Greater  New  York. 

2,717  A. 

19.35 

1.29 

No.  of  Workers. 
321,488 

66.71 

48.50 

114 

Manhattan. 

Tenements  of  Indicated  Number  of  Stories  in  Height  in  Wards  of  Manhattan  and 

23d  Ward  of  The  Bronx. 


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316 

266 

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1,112 

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568 

648 

804 

284 

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147 

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1.075 

727 

168 

18 

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1 

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500 

473 

847 

2,589  6,033 

3,549 

620 

59 

17 

12 

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6 

20. 

133 

174 

930  1,317 

770 

44 

91 

21. 

125 

277 

786 

1,962 

864 

142 

36 

17. 

3 

3 

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1 

22. 

265 

550 

1,875  3,841 

3,021 

246 

188 

21 

29 

14 

6 

22 

3 

5 

9 

1 

The  Bronx. 

23. 

1,725  3,928 

3,316 

1,380 

1.505 

306 

1 

A    Comparison    of   the    Proportion    of    Blocks   that    are    Built    Upon    Solidly    or   that 
Have  Only  a  Specified  Proportion  of  the  Site  Not  Built  Upon. 

(a)  In  Manhattan,  by  sections. 

(b)  In  part  of  the  Twenty-third  Ward  of  The  Bronx. 

(c)  In   Brooklyn,  by  sections. 


Sections. 


Solid. 


Under 
5%        5-10%     ll-157c     16-20%    21-30% 


Over 
30% 


3. 


Manhattan. 

Below  Cortlandt  and 
Maiden    Lane 

Per  cent,  total  section.. 

Between  Cortlandt  and 
Maiden  lane  and 
Chambers,  New 
Chambers  and  James 
Slip  

Per  cent,  total  section.. 

Between  Chambers  and 
James  Slip  and  Canal, 
Division  and   Grand.. 

Per  cent,  total  section.. 

Between  Canal,  Division 
and  Grand  and  Hous- 
ton streets   

Per   cent,   total    section. 


8 
11.42 


45 
64.3 


18 
25.7 


3 
4.3 


3 
4.3 


1 
1.4 


13 
8.34 

113 

76.9 

16 
10.9 

9 
6.1 

1 
0.7 

3 
2.0 

c 
3.4 

36 
13.95 

100 
38.8 

46 
17.8 

21 
8.1 

28 
10.9 

36 
13.9 

27 
10.5 

7 
2.86 

16 
6,6 

14 

5.7 

22 

"0 

75 
30.7 

86 
35.0 

31 
12.7 

115 


Sections.  Solid. 

5.  Between     Houston    and 

8th  St.,  Christopher,  St. 
Marks  pi.  and  Green- 
wich ave 8 

Per  cent,  total  section.  .     5.03 

6.  Between     8th     St.,     St. 

Marks  pi.,  Greenwich 
ave.    and    Christopher 

St.  and  23d  st 11  _ 

Per  cent,  total  section.  .     3.72 

7.  Between  23d  and  42d..   14 
Per  cent,  total  section..     5.18 

8.  Between  42d  and  125th.  20 
Per  cent,  total  section..     2.11 

9.  North    of    125th........ 

Per  cent,  total  section 

Bronx. 
Part  of  23d  Ward,  bounded 
by    Harlem    River,    149th 
St.,  Melrose  ave.,  Webster 

ave.  and  170th  st 7  ^ 

Per  cent,  total  section..  2.79 
Brooklyn. 
Ward. 

First    14 

Second    27 

Third    1.8 

Fourth    3.5 

Fifth     24 

Sixth     11.0 

Seventh    9.0 

Thirteenth   11.0 

Fourteenth    1  ^ 

Fifteenth    5.8 

Sixteenth    6.3 

Seventeenth    2.2 

Nineteenth 3.8 

Twentieth    2.0 

Twentv-sixth    1.0 


Under 

5% 


5-10%    ll-157o 


Over 
16-20%    21-30%    30% 


27 

22 

29  ■ 

29 

43 

9 

17.0 

13.8 

18.2 

18.2 

27.1 

5.7 

39 

34 

23 

52 

117 

25 

13.5 

11.7 

7.9 

17.9 

40.4 

%.6 

32 

48 

32 

48 

91 

18 

11.9 

17.9 

11.9 

17.8 

33.8 

6.7 

•?? 

32 

34 

153 

539 

170 

2.3 

3.3 

3.56 

16.2 

56.8 

18.0 

2 

9 

44 

97 

9 

1.2 

5.6 

27.3 

60.3 

5.6 

4 

9 

11 

17 

79 

130^ 

1.56 

3.49 

5.27 

6.60 

30.68 

50.67 

7 

4 

9 

14 

22 

30 

5 

12 

7 

9 

13.5 

26.5 

6.2 

4.5 

10 

9.5 

26.0 

42.0 

7.5 

5.0 

8.5 

6.2 

29.0 

40.3 

8.0 

9.5 

10.0 

8.5 

21.0 

19 

12.0 

7.0 

2.5 

7.5 

22.0 

38.0 

9.5 

6.0 

Z.Z 

3.2 

31.0 

38.0 

7.3 

5.5 

9.3 

12.5 

37.4 

17.0 

5.0 

5.5 

4.3 

10.3 

■IS^I^f^ 

40.1 

6.2 

4.9 

8.1 

3.5 

2k^ 

49.0 

6.3 

5.1 

5.1 

3.2 

W^^ 

51.0 

5.5 

5.5 

5.8 

7.0 

39.9 

34.1 

2.6 

2.6 

3.8 

9.0 

51.9 

26.3- 

4.1 

3.9 

8.5 

10.5 

26.4 

44.6 

1.0 

0.6 

•  0.5 

4.4 

92.5 

Proportion  of  Total   Number  of   Persons  Accommodated   in   Tenements   Erected   in 
Each  Ward  of  Brooklyn  from  July,  1902,  to  December  31,  1907,  inclusive. 


Ward. 

Persons. 

Ward. 

Persons. 

1 

360 

18 

8.775 

'> 

19 

4.860- 

3 

20 

689' 

4 

734 

21 

12.218 

5 

432 

22 

6.952- 

6 

778 

23 

3.294- 

7 

2,665 

24 

18.796- 

8 

Il884 

25 

8.068 

9 

5.148 

26 

a).062 

10 

486 

27 

10.804 

11 

50 

28 

15.867 

12 

126 

29 

6.322' 

13 

5,341 

30 

3,842- 

14 

882 

31 

648' 

15 

3.128 

32 

4,689= 

16 

17 

9.891 

5.395 

Total 

213,178 

115 


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118 

SuiHiiiary  of  Tenement  House  Law  for  Cities  of  the  First  Class  in  New  York  State 
Relative  to  Size  of  Rooms  and  Overcroiuding. 

70.  Rooms.  Size  of. — Excepting  water  closet  compartments  and  bathrooms  in 
each  apartment  there  shall  be  at  least  one  room  containing  not  less  than  one  hundred 
and  twenty  square  feet  of  floor  space,  and  each  other  room  shall  contain  at  least 
seventy  square  feet  of  floor  area.  Each  room  shall  be  in  every  part  not  less  than 
nine  feet  high  from  the  finished  floor  to  the  finished  ceiling,  provided  that  an  attic 
room  need  be  nine  feet  high  in  but  one-half  its  area. 

71.  Alcove  rooms  must  conform  to  all  the  requirements  of  other  rooms. 

97.  Basements  and  Cellars. — No  room  in  the  basement  or  cellar  of  any  tene- 
ment shall  be  occupied  for  living  purposes  except  under  conditions  stipulated;  such 
room  shall  be  at  least  nine  feet  high  in  every  part  from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling  and 
the  same  regulations  as  to  floor  area  are  in  force. 

There  are  about  25,000  basement  dwellings  in  New  York. 

112.  Overcrowding. — No  room  in  any  tenement  house  shall  be  so  overcrowded 
that  there  shall  be  afforded  less  than  four  hundred  cubic  feet  of  air  to  each  adult, 
and  two  hundred  cubic  feet  of  air  to  each  child  under  twelve  years  of  age  occupy- 
ing such  room. 

Under  this  law  a  three-room  apartment  with  a  height  of  nine  feet  in  the  clear 
may  consist  of : 

Only  260  square  feet  floor  area. 

Only  2,340  cubic  feet. 

One  room  10  by  12  feet,  and  two  rooms  7  by  9  feet. 

In  this  apartment  may  live  legally  two  adults  over  12  years  of  age  and  six  minors 
under  12  years  of  age,  a  total  of  eight  persons  in  three  rooms,  or  two  and  two-thirds 
per  room — one  and  one-half  persons  per  room  is  a  reasonable  standard,  therefore, 
the  law  permits  nearly  50  per  cent,  of  overcrowding. 

References  on  Percentage  of  Lot  Area  to  be  Occupied  in   Other  American  and  i't 

Foreign  Cities. 

New  Jersey. — No  tenement  house  can  occupy  more  than  90  per  cent,  of  a  corner 
lot,  or  more  than  70  per  cent,  of  an  interior  lot. 

The  Connecticut  law,  Cleveland,  Baltimore  and  Washington  all  limit  the  occu- 
pancy of  corner  lots  to  90  per  cent. 

Chicago  permits  lots  bounded  on  three  sides  to  occupy  90  per  cent.,  but  limits 
all  other  corner  lots  to  85  per  cent. 

San  Francisco  provides  that  tenements  may  occupy  95  per  cent,  of  corner  lots 
50  feet  or  less  in  width,  but  only  75  per  cent,  of  the  excess  over  50  feet  of  other 
corner  lots. 

Connecticut,  Chicago,  San  Francisco  and  Washington  limit  the  occupancy  of  in- 
terior lots  to  75  per  cent.,  Baltimore  to  70  per  cent.,  and  Cleveland  to  65  per  cent. 

London  Yards. — There  must  be  provided  at  the  rear  of  every  dwelling  house  an 
open  space  exclusively  belonging  to  it  of  an  aggregate  extent  of  not  less  than  150 
square  feet.  In  all  cases  the  open  space  must  be  at  least  10  feet  wide  and  extend 
throughout  the  entire  width  of  the  building.  In  the  case  of  corner  lots  the  council 
may  permit  the  erection  of  buildings  not  exceeding  30  feet  in  height  upon  such  part 
of  the  space  in  the  rear  as  they  may  think  fit,  provided  they  are  satisfied  that  its 
erection  will  not  interfere  unduly  with  the  access  of  light  and  air  to  neighboring 
buildings. 

Courts. — Where  a  court  is  wholly  or  in  part  open  at  the  top  but  inclosed  on  every 
side,  and  constructed  for  the  purpose  of  admitting  light  or  air.  and  the  depth  from 
the  eaves  or  top  of  the  parapet  wall  to  the  ceiling  of  the  ground  story  exceeds  the 
length  or  width  of  the  court,  the  owner  of  the  building  must  make  adequate  provi- 
sions for  ventilation  by  means  of  communication  with  the  outer  air. 

Glasgow.  Open  Spaces. — Provision  for  open  space?  is  secured  by  requiring  that 
in  front  of  at  least  one-half  of  every  window  in  sleeping  apartments  there  must  be 
an  open  space  equal  to  at  least  three-fourths  of  the  height  of  the  wall  in  which  the 
window  is  placed  from  the  floor  of  the  apartment  to  the  roof  of  the  building,  meas- 
uring such  space  in  a  straight  line  perpendicular  to  the  plane  of  the  window. 

Manchester — Clo.=ed  courts  or  areas  open  only  at  the  top,  into  which  windows 
open,  must  be  equal  to  at  least  one-half  of  the  height  measured  from  the  window 
sill  to  the  eaves  or  top  of  the  parapet  of  the  opposite  wall.  If  one  side  of  a  court 
or  area  is  open,  windows  opposite  the  opening  will  satisfy  the  requirements. 

Toronto,  Canada — Open  Spaces.  Every  tenement  or  dwelling  house  must  be  so 
located  and  orect*>d  nn  the  respective  premises  as  to  provide  at  least  10  per  cent,  of 
the  area  of  the  lot  free  from  all  obstruction  from  ground  to  sky,  but  in  no  event 


119 

shall  such  area  be  less  than  300  square  feet.     Angular  corner  lots,  abutting  lots  and 
extend  from  street  to  street  may  be  excluded  from  the  above  restrictions. 

The  proportion  of  the  lot  area  to  be  occupied  by  tenements  varies  in  different 
districts  of  most  large  German  cities,  just  as  the  height  and  number  of  stories  does, 
and  lower  tenements  and  larger  yards  are  required  in  the  outlying  sections  of 
cities  where  land  values  are  low. 

The  proportion  of  the  lot  area  to  remain  unoccupied,  i.  e.,  devoted  to  courts 
and   yards,    ranges   as    follows : 

Munich— From  1/3  to  1/2. 

Cologne — From  1/4  to  3/5. 

F"rankfort-on-the-Main — From   1/3  to   1/2. 

Dusseldorf — From  1/3  to  3/5. 

Mannheim — From  1/4  to  3/5. 

Hamburg — Before  every  wall  of  a  building  containing  windows  not  lying  on 
the  street  there  must  be  left  a  space  equal  to  one-third  of  the  height  of  the  wall,  m 
the  town,  and  two-thirds  in  the  suburbs,  and  this  space  must  have  an  area  of  211.3 
square  feet. 

Vienna — Usually  15  per  cent,  of  the  lot  area  must  be  devoted  to  yards  and 
courts.     In  special  cases  different  regulations  are  prescribed  by  the  building  police. 

The  New  English  Town  Planning  Act  permits  cities  to  restrict  the  number  of 
cottages  to  from  10  to  20  per  acre. 

Frankfort-on-the-Main  ranges  from  a  maximum  height  of  65  feet  6  inches,  not 
to  exceed  the  width  of  the  street  by  more  than  6  feet  6  inches,  to  three  stories,  not 
to  exceed  a  height  of  29  feet  6  inches,  on  streets  of  this  width,  otherwise  the  height 
may  not  exceed  the  width   of  the  street. 

Cologne  ranges  from  five  stories  and  mansard  in  the  centre  of  the  city  to  two 
stories  and  mansard. 

Dusseldorf  ranges  from  five  stories  to  three  stories. 

Vienna  ranges  from  six  stories  to  three  stories,  and  under  certain  conditions  to 
two  stories. 

London — The  height  of  dwelling  houses  (any  building  used  for  human  habita- 
tion) must  not  exceed  80  feet,  exclusive  of  the  stories  in  the  roof,  without  the  consent 
of  the  council.  If  a  dwelling  house  is  erected  on  a  street  less  than  50  feet  wide,  its 
height  must  not  exceed  the  distance  from  the  front  wall  to  the  opposite  side  of  the 
street. 

With  reference  to  the  height  of  such  buildings  in  relation  to  the  space  at  the  rear, 
London  employs  the  following  novel  plan : 

An  imaginary  line  called  "the  horizontal  line"  is  drawn  at  right  angles  to  the 
roadway  through  the  middle  of  the  building  to  intersect  the  boundary  of  the  open 
space  at  the  rear  of  the  house  furthest  from  the  roadway.  Then  a  second  imaginary 
line  called  "the  diagonal  line"  is  drawn  from  this  point  of  intersection  above  and  in 
the  same  vertical  plane  as  the  horizontal  line  and  inclined  at  an  angle  of  635-4  degrees 
with  it. 

No  part  of  the  building  can  extend  above  this  diagonal  line  except  chimneys, 
dormers,  gables,  turrets  or  other  architectural  ornaments.  Further  instructions  for 
drawing  the  diagonal  line  are  included  in  the  law  for  exceptionally  irregular  sites. 

Glasgow — No  tenement  or  building  used  as  a  dwelling  house  shall  be  erected,  the 
front  walls  of  which  shall  exceed  in  height  the  distance  between  the  building  lines  of 
the  street. 

Manchester — Buildings  on  streets  less  than  30  feet  wide  are  limited  to  two 
stories.     On  streets  not  less  than  36  feet  wide  they  are  limited  to  three  stories. 

Liverpool — Tenements  facing  on  a  street  must  not  exceed  in  height  the  width  of 
the  street.  Houses  built  on  a  court  must  not  exceed  30  feet  in  height,  nor  contain 
more  than  two  stories  above  the  ground  floor.  Liverpool  also  adopts  the  same  plan 
as  London  with  reference  to  the  height  of  buildings  in  relation  to  the  space  at  the 
rear. 

Paris — Height  is  determined  by  the  width  of  the  street.  Width  of  street,  7.8 
metres  (25  feet  7  inches)  or  under,  height  of  building,  12  metres  (39  feet  4  inches)  ; 
wndth  of  street  between  7.8  metres  (25  feet  7  inches)  and  9.74  metres  (31  feet  11 
inches),  height  of  building,  15  metres  (49  feet  2  inches)  ;  width  of  street  betvi^een 
9.74  and  20  metres  (65  feet  7  inches),  height  of  building,  18  metres  (59  feet)  ;  width 
of  street,  20  metres,  height  of  building,  20  metres  (Act  of  July  23,  18i84). 

This  same  act  provides  that  buildings  in  no  case  may  contain  more  than  seven 

stories.     The  height  of  the   first  story  must  be  not  less  than  2.8  metres    (9  feet  2 

inches),  and  the  height  of  other  stories  not  less  than  2.6  metres   (8  feet  6  inches). 

Berlin — The  height  of  houses  fronting  on  a  street  may  equal  but  not  exceed  the 

width  of  the  street  between  building  lines,  but  they  may  not  be  higher  than  72.18 


120 

feet.  The  rear  buildings  must  never  exceed  in  height  by  more  than  19  feet  6  inches 
the  width  of  the  open  space  in  front  of  them.  Buildings  intended  for  tenement 
houses  must  not_  exceed  five  stories  nor  the  floor  of  the  top  story  be  more  than  57.4 
feet  above  the  sidewalk. 

Toronto,  Canada — All  buildings  intended  to  be  used  as  apartment  or  tenement 
houses  exceeding  55  feet  in  height  must  be  of  the  first-class  fireproof  construction 
throughout.  No  tenement  can  ex.ceed  100  feet  in  height.  No  wooden  or  frame 
building  intended  for  human  habitation  can  be  erected  to  exceed  35  feet  in  height.  No 
tenement  or  other  dwelling  house  can  be  erected  on  a  street  less  than  35  feet  wide. 

Hamburg — The  usual  height  of  a  building  may  not  exceed  97  feet  6  inches  in  the 
case  pi  gable,  and  78  feet  in  the  case  of  other  walls,  while  the  front  wall  may  not 
be  higher  than  the  width  of  the  street  in  the  suburbs,  though  in  the  town  and  St. 
Pauli  it  may  exceed  the  width  of  the  street  by  19  feet  6  inches. 

References  on  Si::e  of  Rooms  and  Overcrowding  in  Other  A)nerican  and  in  Foreign 
Cities — Rooms,  Area,  Height,  etc. 

New  York,  New  Jersey,  Connecticut,  Chicago  and  Baltimore  all  require  that 
every  apartment  shall  contain  at  least  one  room  with  not  less  than  120  square  feet 
of  floor  area,  and  that  all  other  rooms  except  water-closets  and  bathrooms  must 
contain  at  least  70  square  feet  of  floor  area. 

Cleveland  and  San  Francisco  require  one  room  of  120  square  feet  floor  area, 
the  rest  to  contain  <S0  square  feet :  and  Boston  requires  one  with  120  square  feet, 
and  the  others  to  contain  not  less  than  90  square  feet  floor  area. 

New  York,  New  Jersey  and  Baltimore  require  habitable  rooms  to  be  9  feet  in 
the  clear  from  floor  to  ceiling,  although  Baltimore  allows  cellar  rooms  to  be  8  feet. 

The  Connecticut  law,  Chicago,  Boston,  Cleveland  and  San  Francisco  require  them 
to  be  8  feet  6  inches. 

The  Pennsvlvania  law,  St.  Louis,  Providence  and  Grand  Rapids  require  them  to 
be  8  feet. 

Cities  uniformly  require  attic  rooms  to  be  the  required  height  only  throughout 
one-half  their  area. 

New  York,  New  Jersey,  Chicago  and  Baltimore  make  the  same  requirements  for 
alcove  rooms  as  for  other  rooms.  Boston  requires  an  opening  equal  to  80  per  cent, 
of  the  area  of  the  side  of  the  room,  to  the  main  room,  and  a  window  at  least  15 
square  feet  in  area.  Cleveland  requires  the  opening  to  be  equal  to  one-half  the  side 
of  the  room,  but  never  less  than  twice  the  width  of  an  interior  door. 

In  London — Every  habitable  room  except  rooms  wholly  or  partly  in  the  roof  must 
be  at  least  8  feet  6  inches  in  height.  Rooms  wholly  or  partly  in  the  roof  must  be 
at  least  8  feet  in  height. 

As  regards  buildings  on  its  own  property  the  London  county  council  requires 
the  minimum  superficial  area  of  a  roomed  tenement  to  be  at  least  144  square  feet. 
A  two-roomed  tenement  must  have  one  room  of  144  square  feet  and  one  of  at  least 
96  square  feet  in  area ;  a  three-roomed  tenement,  one  room  144  square  feet,  two 
rooms  96  square  feet.  For  a  four-roomed  tenement  the  fourth  room  must  contain 
at  least  100  square  feet. 

Glasgow — Every  room  on  the  basement  or  street  floors  of  a  tenement  must  be  at 
least  9  feet  6  inches  in  height,  and  all  others,  except  attic  rooms,  9  feet.  Attic  rooms 
must  be  8  feet  high  throughout  one-half  their  area.  Cellar  rooms  must  be  at  least  one- 
half  the  level  of  the  street. 

Manchester — Every  room  except  bathrooms  or  sculleries  or  attic  rooms  must  be 
9  feet  high.  Bathrooms  and  sculleries  must  be  at  least  8  feet  high,  and  attic  rooms 
must  be  9  feet  throughout  two-thirds  their  area  and  not  less  than  5  feet  throughout 
the  other  third. 

Liverpool — Every  house  (apartment)  must  have  at  least  one  living  room  which 
contains  120  superficial  feet  and  at  least  half  in  number  of  the  sleeping  rooms  con- 
taining 108  square  feet,  provided  that  in  the  case  of  dwelling  houses  "with  a  frontage 
of  15  feet"  and  containing  six  rooms,  the  rooms  used  as  bedrooms  shall  not  be  less 
than  in  the  case  of  the  first  bedroom,  120  square  feet;  in  the  case  of  the  second,  95 
square  feet  and  in  the  case  of  the  third,.  72  square  feet.  All  rooms  must  be  9  feet 
high  from  the  ceiling. 

Berlin — Habitable  rooms  must  be  at  least  8.2  feet  in  height  and  the  floor  not 
more  than  3.2  feet  below  the  level  of  the  ground. 

Mr.  Lawrence  Veiller.  in  his  "Model  Tenement  House  Laws,"  suggests  that  in 
each  apartment  there  shall  be  at  least  one  room  containing  not  less  than  150  square 
feet  of  floor  area,  and  each  other  room  shall  contain  at  least  90_  square  feet  of  floor 
area,  and  each  room  shall  be  in  every  part  not  less  than  9  feet  high  from  the  finished 
floor  to  the  finished  ceiling. 


121 

Toronto — Every  sleeping  room  must  contain  at  least  400  cubic  feet  for  every 
person  over  12,  and  200  cubic  feet  for  every  person  under  12  years  of  age.  The 
Medical  Health  Officer,  or  any  Sanitary  Inspector,  may  enter  any  tenement  or  lodg- 
ing house  at  any  time  of  day  or  night,  where  there  is  reason  to  believe  there  is 
overcrowding. 

In  Mannheim  (Germany)  every  adult  and  child  must  have  at  least  in  living  rooms 
343  cubic  feet,  and  in  the  dwelling  or  apartment  as  a  whole  686  cubic  feet,  and 
similar  regulations  exist  for  most  large  German  cities. 

Reference   to    the  Heights   of   Tenements    Permillcd    in    Other    American    and    in 

Foreign  Cities. 

New  Jersey,  Chicago.  Baltimore  and  Cleveland  limit  the  height  of  tenements  to 
one  and  one-half  the  width  of  the  widest  street  on  which  the  building  stands. 

San  Francisco  places  no  limit  on  fireproof  structures,  but  limits  all  others  to  one 
and  one-half  times  the  width  of  the  street. 

Boston  places  the  limit  at  two  and  one-half  times  the  width  of  the  street,  bift 
permits  no  building  to  exceed  125  feet. 

St.  Louis  limits  all  tenements  to  150  feet,  and  those  on  streets  60  feet  wide  or 
less,  to  two  and  one-half  times  the  width  of  the  street. 

Washington  limits  all  tenements  to  the  width  of  the  street  between  building  lines, 
but  never  to  exceed  90  feet. 

Providence  limits  all  tenements  to  90  feet,  unless  fireproof. 
•     Rochester  permits  no  tenement  to  exceed  in  height  four  times  its  horizontal  dimen- 
sion. 

St.  Paul  and  Toledo  apparently  place  no  limit  on  the  height,  but  let  the  height 
determine  the  construction.  In  Manchester,  England,  where  the  street  is  not  over 
30  feet  in  width,  the  buildings  are  not  allowed  to  exceed  two  stories  in  height,  while 
on  streets  30  to  36  feet  in  width  dwelling  houses  may  be  three  stories  high.  In  Liver- 
pool, Glasgow,  and  Berlin,  tenements  are  limited  in  height  to  the  width  of  the  street, 
while  in  Edinburgh  they  are  limited  to  one  and  one-quarter  times  the  width  of  the 
street. 

Most  large  German  cities,  with  the  exception  of  Berlin,  have  been  divided  into 
districts,  each  with  its  own  building  regulations,  and  any  comparison  must  be  with 
these  districts.  The  general  rule  has  been  to  restrict  as  large  a  part  of  the  city  as 
possible  to  two  or  three-story  buildings.  The  following  are  typical  ranges  in  the 
number  of  stories  permitted  front  buildings.  The  back  buildings  must  usually  be 
a  story  lower  than  the  front  buildings  where  rear  buildings  are  permitted. 

Munich  ranges  from  five  stories,  and  the  mansard  to  two  stories  and  a  mansard, 
not  to  exceed  40  feet  in  height. 

REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  FACTORIES  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  CITY 
COMMISSION  ON  CONGESTION  OF  POPULATION,  PREPARED  BY  MR. 
JOHN  ADIKES,  CHAIRMAN. 

The  Committee  have  held  four  hearings  and  heard  nearly  a  score  of  witnesses 
in  these  meetings,  while  the  subject  of  the  distribution  of  factories  has  been  touched 
upon  in  a  large  number  of  meetings  of  other  Committees  by  speakers  who  appre- 
ciate the  necessity  of  such  distribution  if  the  evils  of  congestions  are  to  be  avoided 
by  the  distribution  of  the  people  themselves.  In  addition,  they  have  made  an  in- 
vestigation of  the  distribution  of  factories  in  1906  and  1909.  while  numbers  of  the 
Committee  took  a  trip  around  the  water  fronts  of  the  City  through  the  courtesy  of 
the  Dock  Department  in  one  of  the  department's  boats,  and  studied  the  opportunity 
for  the  development  of  factory  sites.  The  chairman  of  the  Committee  and  the  chair- 
man of  the  Commission  also  spent  an  afternoon  visiting  the  South  Brooklyn  water- 
front district,  and  went  through  the  Bush  Terminals. 

Distribution  of  Factories  in  1906. 
The  Committee,  owing  to  the  absence  of  appropriation,  has  not  been  able  to 
make  an  exhaustive  study  of  the  distribution  of  factories  by  di.stricts  in  1910,  but  a 
careful  study  of  such  distribution  was  made  in  1906  by  assembly  districts  in  Man- 
hattan, and  wards  in  Brooklyn  and  The  Bronx,  and  the  total  number  of  factories 
started  in  New  York  City  since  that  time  has  been  a  relatively  small  percentage,  so 
that  the  facts  found  at  that  time  are  substantially  correct  at  present.  The  most  sig- 
nificant facts  were  that  the  Sixth  Assembly  District  in  Manhattan,  in  the  centre  of 
the  island,  below  11th  st.,  and  containing  less  than  one-thousandth  of  the  area  of 
the  City,  had  nevertheless  2,349  factories,  with  56,589  workers  in  factories  during  the 
year,  or  8.44  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of  workers  in  factories  in  New  York  City. 
(These  figures  w-ere  secured  from  the  records  of  the  State  Department  of  Labor, 
and  the  number  of  people  in  factories  is  the  largest  reported  at  any  time  during  the 


122 

year  covered.)  The  concentration  of  factories  below  14th  St.,  and  20th  west  of 
Broadway  in  Manhattan  in  that  year  (1906),  is  nearly  as  striking  as  the  concentra- 
tion in  the  Sixth  Assembly  District,  since  in  this  area  of  2,717  acres,  a  little  over 
one-seventy-sixth  of  the  area  of  New  York  City,  there  were  reported  321,488  work- 
ers in  factories  out  of  a  total  for  tlie  year  of  662,749  in  Greater  New  York.  There 
were  below  14th  st.,  10  factory  blocks,  each  having  over  2.400,  and  one  4,007 
workers  in  factories.  Several  of  the  most  important  factory  blocks  are  located  in 
the  centre  of  the  island.  Of  the  171  important  blocks  which  Mr.  William  J.  Wilgus, 
in  his  brief  for  a  subway  for  freight,  shows  were  the  chief  shipping  blocks  in  Man- 
hattan, 84  were  located  in  the  district  bounded  by  Barclay  St.,  West  Broadway,  Uni- 
versity place,  E.  14th  st.,  Lafayette  st.,  Marion,  Elm,  Chambers  and  Broadway,  that 
is  just  west  of  the  centre  of  Manhattan  island  below  14th  st. 

The  sites  of  the  factory  blocks  having  the  greatest  number  of  workers  are 
assessed  from  $500,000  to  about  $900,000  per  acre.  It  is  extremely  significant  that 
the  greatest  congestion  of  population  in  tenements  is  in  the  districts  immediately  ad- 
joining this  concentration  of  factories,  and  it  has  been  the  unanimous  evidence  of 
those  that  have  appeared  before  your  Committee  that  workers  follow  factories  and 
keep  very  near  to  their  places  of  work.  In  spite,  however,  of  the  fact  that  there* 
was  the  phenomenal  concentration  of  factories  in  1906,  there  were  very  few  wards 
in  Brooklyn  and  assembly  districts  in  Manhattan  in  which  most  of  the  twelve  classes 
of  factories  into  which  the  State  Department  of  Labor  divides  these  factories  of 
the  State  were  not  represented.  That  is,  manufacturing  of  different  kinds  was  found 
to  be  feasible  quite  generally  throughout  the  City. 

A  table  showing  the  distribution  of  factories  is  appended  as  part  of  the  report 
of  your  Committee. 

Conditions  in  Factories. 
The  Committee  have  not  been  able  to  visit  personally  many  of  the  factories  of 
the  City,  but  have  found  most  unhealthy  conditions  in  some  of  the  factories,  dark 
rooms,  inadequate  protection  of  moving  machinerv.  etc..  while  the  State  Department 
of  Labor  reports  for  the  year  ending  September  30,  1909.  that  ten  orders  to  properly 
light  work  rooms  were  issued  in  New  York  City;  eight  compliances  with  such  orders 
were  reported,  while  948  orders  to  properly  light  halls,  stairs  and  water  closets  were 
issued  in  New  York  City,  and  that  899  compliances  with  such  orders  were  reported. 
These  orders  represent  practically  the  number  of  cases  in  which  generallv  the  non- 
compliance with  the  requirements  of  the  law  in  regard  to  these  specific  items  were 
found  by  the  Deputy  Factory  Inspectors. 

Comparative  Advantages  and  Disadvantages  of  Manufacturing  in  New  York  City. 
It  is  significant  that  the  total  number  of  factories  in  the  Boroughs  of  Manhat- 
tan and  The  Bronx  (County  of  New  York),  increased  materially  from  1906  to  1909, 
as  shown  in  the  table  appended,  so  that  nearly  four-fifths  of  the  new  factories  start- 
ed in  the  City  during  this  time  located  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx  and  the  over- 
whelming majority  were  in  Manhattan,  while  onlv  one-eighth  were  in  Brooklyn,  and 
one-thirtieth   were   in    Queens,  2.438  out   of   3.060  having   located   in   Manhattan.    A 
study  has  been  made   of   the   total   number   of   persons   for   whom   accommodations 
were    provided    in    factories    constructed    during   the    years    1902    to    1907.    inclusive. 
While  provisions  were  made  allowing  28  square  feet  for  each  occupant  for  197,238 
workers  in   Brooklvn    (from   1903  to   1907).  accommodations  were  provided   for  only 
137,034  in  Manhattan  (from  1902  to  1907).  24.000  of  this  number  being  above  8th  st. 
The  important  advantages  of  manufacturing  in   Manhattan  are : 
First :     The  large  labor  market  and  proximity  to  the  market  for  the  goods. 

The   most   important   disadvantages    of   manufacturing    in    Manhattan    are : 

First :     High  cost  of  land. 

Second :     High   cost  of  insurance. 

Third  :     Cost  of  drayage  through  the  crowded  streets  of  the  City. 

Fourth :     The  high   rentals. 

During  the  three  years  from  1906  to  1909,  a  good  many  factories  have  removed 
from  New  York  City.  Some,  however,  have  gone  from  other  Boroughs  as  well  as 
Manhattan.  The  Tohn  L.  Mott  Iron  Works  removed  their  factory  from  The  Bronx 
to  New  Jersey.  They  employed  in  their  factory  in  The  Bronx  between  500  and  600 
men,  and  most  of  them  have  left  New  York  and  gone  to  New  Jersey  to  be  near 
their  work.    They  assign  the  following  reasons  for  their  removal : 

"We_  removed  our  factory  for  various  economic  reasons,  the  high  cost  of  land, 
taxes  being,  of  course,  factors ;  also  the  strictness  of  the  City  ordinance  as  to  the 
smoke  nuisance;  regarding  wages,  they  are  the  same." 

The   Henry  R.   Worthington   Co.,   Worthington   pumping  engines   and   hydraulic 


123 

machinery,  removed  from  Brooklyn,  and  assign  the  following  reasons  for  their  re- 
moval : 

'"We  would  say  that  we  removed  our  factory  from  Brooklyn  four  or  five  years 
ago  because  the  natural  growth  of  the  business  required  more  space  than  we  could 
obtain  there  at  that  time.  We  built  new  works  at  Harrison,  X.  J.,  where  w^e  occupy 
•over  thirty  acres  of  ground.  Our  pay-roll  was  about  $30,000  a  week,  and  we  presume 
that  nearly  all  of  the  workmen  moved  to  Newark,  of  which  Harrison  is  a  suburb." 

On  the  other  hand  a  varied  line  of  factories  have  been  coming  into  the  City 
and  locating  in  different  sections. 

The  secretary  of  the  Erie  Basin  Board  of  Trade  states  that  during  the  past  year 
there  have  been  located  in  the  Erie  Basin  twentv  factories  of  different  kinds,  and 
that  none  have  moved  away  from  the  district  during  that  time.  The  Bush  Terminal 
Company  have  within  the  past  few  years  secured  the  location  of  many  factories  in 
their  model  plants  in  South  Brooklyn.  Questions  were  sent  to  a  number  of  manu- 
facturers asking  suggestions  as  to  the  reasons  for  the  locating  of  factories  in  Man- 
hattan and  pre-eminently  what  kind  of  manufacturing  can  be  more  economically 
carried  on  in  the  Boroughs  outside  of  Manhattan  than  in  these  Boroughs.  The  con- 
census of  opinion  as  to  the  kind  of  manufacturing  that  can  be  economically  carried 
on  in  the  Boroughs  outside  of  Manhattan  is  contained  in  the  following  statements 
submitted  to  the  Committee : 

"No  factory,  the  output  of  which  is  not  entirely  meant  for  local  consumption,  should 
be  located  on  Manhattan  unless  its  plant  is  along  the  waterfront  or  near  the  principal 
freight  railway  depots.  All  manufacturing  plants  which  send  their  produce,  or  the  greater 
part  of  it,  to  out-of-town  points,  belong  in  the  outside  Boroughs,  because  every  truck 
sent  out  from  the  heart  of  New  York  City  to  the  shipping  terminal  adds  to  the 
congestion  of  our  streets,  and  ever\^  employee  engaged  b}'  such  a  manufacturer  is 
tempted  to  locate  with  his  family  in  a  tenement  near  his  workbench.  This  refers 
particularly  to  the  wholesale  clothing  and  other  textile  branches.  Incidentall}-,  the 
proximity  of  factories  to  tenement  houses  leads  to  the  ultimate  establishment,  sur- 
reptitious and  otherwise,  of   smaller  plants  within  the  living  quarters." 

That  the  proximity  of  factories  to  tenements  leads  to  the  ultimate  establishment, 
surreptitious  and  otherwise,  of  smaller  plants  w-ithin  the  living  quarters,  is  evidenced 
hy  the  fact  that  the  Sixth  Assembly  District,  as  has  been  noted,  in  central  Manhattan 
contains  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  total  number  of  workers  in  factories  in 
Greater  New  York,  approximately  one-twelfth  in  1906,  and  had  the  greatest  density 
of  workers  per  acre,  while  to  the  east  in  the  old  Eighth  and  Tenth  Assembly  Districts 
was  the  greatest  density  of  population  per  acre,  averaging  649  per  acre  in  1905.  A 
large  proportion  of  the  tenement  manyfacture  licenses,  were  in  these  districts. 

Mr.  Frank  Bailey,  of  the  Title  Guarantee  Trust  Company  of  Brooklyn,  has  also 
indicated  the  economical  distribution  of  factories  in  New  York  City  as  follows  : 

"I  believe  that  practically  all  kinds  of  factories,  except  the  most  light  manufac- 
turies.  can  be  carried  on  more  economically  in  the  Boroughs  outside  of  Manhattan 
than  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan. 

"Second,  it  is  necessary  that  the  factory  be  contiguous  to  existing  labor  centres 
or  accessible  to  existing  labor  centres,  and  they  can  not  be  moved  here  and  there 
at  will. 

"It  will  be  seen  that  there  has  been  a  really  large  increase  in  the  factories  located 
in  the  Borough  of  Brooklyn,  and  I  think  the  tendency  is  stronger  now  than  ever 
before. 

"The  best  method  to  secure  the  removal  from  Manhattan  is  to  offer  economic  ad- 
vantages which  cannot  be  obtained  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan." 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  in  1906,  of  the  nearly  one-half  of  the  total  num- 
ber of  workers  in  factories  in  Greater  New  York  located  below  14th  st.  in  Manhat- 
tan, one-half  were  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  clothing,  millinery  and  in  laundries, 
and  nearly  one-sixth  in  the  manufacture  of  printing  and  paper  goods,  and  one-ninth 
in  the  manufacture  of  metals,  machines  and  convevances.  a  total,  respectivelv.  of 
155,  558.  51.  909  and  37,253.  On  the  other  hand,  there  were  in  Brooklyn  only  26.935 
persons  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  clothing,  millinerv  and  in  laundries,  or  one- 
fifth  of  the  total  engaged  in  manufacturing  in  the  Borough  ;  9.35S  in  printing  and  the 
manufacture  of  pare  goods,  and  35,942  in  the  manufacture  of  metals,  machines,  and 
conveyances,  a  little  over  one-fourth  of  the  total  number  of  132.466  workers  in  the 
factories  of  the  Boroughs. 

Belt  Lines  as  a  Meaxs  of  Distributing  Factories. 

It  is  sisnificant  that  many  of  the  large  cities  of  the  country  have  recognized  the 
necessity  of  belt  lines  to  co-ordinate  the  different  railroads  carrying  freight  in'  the 


124 

citv.  and  provide  for  transfer  from  one  line  to  another  and  to  ensure  the  prompt 
delivery  of  freight. 

The  belt  line  of  Chicago,  for  instance,  connects  all  trunk  lines  entering  Chicago, 
so  that  industries  located  on  the  belt  railway  of  Chicago  are  thereby  enabled  to  use 
any  or  all  lines  in  the  conduct  of  their  business  and  at  Chicago  rates.  The  Belt  Rail- 
way Companj'  claim  that  ground  values  are  lower  at  present  on  the  belt  railway  of 
Chicago  than  in  many  congested  sections,  and  that  they  furnish  facilities  for  handling 
less  than  carload  shipments,  which  they  extend  as  necessity  demands. 

St.  Louis  also  has  a  connecting  belt  line  which  has  proven  of  enormous  value  in 
manufacturing  and  the  better  distribution  of  freight. 

The  Metropolitan  Improvements  Commission  of  Boston  stated  that  in  their  judg- 
ment the  pur])oses  of  a  belt  line  railroad  might  be  one  or  all  of  several,  as  follows: 

First — To  detour  traffic  around  a  densely  populated  district. 

Second — To  provide  flexibility  of  operation  in  the  interchange  of  traffic,  among 
and  between  the  various  lines  intersected. 

Third — To  open  up  new  territory  for  industrial  activity. 

They  aver,  however,  that  in  their  judgment,  although  a  belt  line  is  feasible  for 
other  cities,  it  is  impracticable  for  Boston,  since  by  reason  of  its  location  as  a  tide- 
water terminal  Boston  does  not  lie  in  the  path  of  any  great  amount  of  all-rail  through 
traffic.  Through  business  in  Boston  is  to  a  great  extent  strictlv  port  tonnage,  for 
transshipment  in  vessels.  The  all-rail  through  business  consists  of  traffic  in  commodi- 
ties to  northern  and  southern  New  England  points,  from  manufacturing  cities  within 
a  radius  of  about  15  miles  of  Boston,  where  the  obvious  routing  on  a  minimum  mileage 
basis  is  through  Boston  to  destination. 

The  conditions  in  New  York  City,  however,  with  freight  lines  to  the  North  and 
East,  and  with  several  trunk  lines  West,  connected  by  admirable  float  service,  is  en- 
tirely different.  The  statement  of  the  Boston  Metropolitan  Improvements  Commis- 
sion in  reference  to  economy  in  production  is  most  significant,  as  follows : 

"The  sites  of  future  industries  which  shall  represent  the  greatest  efficiency  in 
production,  must,  as  a  rule,  be  on  the  waterfront,  at  the  foci  of  the  arteries  of  trans- 
portation." 

The  City  of  New  Orleans  has  also  constructed  a  public  belt  railroad,  which  has 
been  in  operation  for  several  years.    The  official  description  is  as  follows: 

"The  Public  Belt  Railroad  Commission  was  organized  by  city  ordinance  and  is  a 
municipal  board.  The  line  is  constructed  along  the  river  front  of  the  city  and  has 
twenty-two  miles  of  double  tracks,  which  serves  all  public  wharves  and  a  number  of 
private  industries :  the  switching  rate  is  $2  per  car  on  all  business  to  or  from  any 
point  on  the  Public  Belt  Railroad.  The  switching  charge  applies  only  one  way,  that 
is,  it  is  chargeable  on  the  initial  move,  the  return  move  being  gratis." 

This  belt  line  was  constructed  by  appropriations  from,  the  funds  of  the  city  and 
has  been  fairly  successful. 

Various  suggestions  have  been  made  to  the  Commission  with  reference  to  a 
provision  of  a  similar  belt  line  for  New  York  City,  and  a  definite  plan  has  been  pro- 
posed by  Mr.  John  M.  Paris,  as  follows : 

"A  careful  study  as  to  the  needs  of  freight  traffic  leads  me  constantly  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  best  solution  of  the  problem  is  by  the  construction  of  a  belt  line 
whereby  all  railroads  leading  into  New  York  City  may  be  connected,  and  likewise  the 
connecting  of  this  belt  line  with  the  principal  water  front  property  of  the  city.  If  a 
line  was  constructed  leading  through  the  various  manufacturing  cities  of  New  Jersey, 
like  Hackensack,  Paterson.  Passaic,  Newark  and  Elizabeth,  and  across  onto  Staten 
Island,  following  the  shore  front  of  Staten  Island  sufficientlv  depressed  to  not  inter- 
fere with  trafiic  purposes,  then  under  the  Narrows  and  again  denressed  through  the 
South  Brooklyn  sections  between  Coney  Island,  Bay  Ridge  and  Flatbush  to  Jamaica 
Bay.  connecting  with  the  present  proposed  connecting  railroad  being  constructed  by 
the  New  York,  New  Plaven  and  Hartford  and  Pennsylvan'ia  Railroads  jointly,  with 
traffic  arrangements  with  such  road  whereby  its  tracks  might  become  a  part  of  this 
belt  system,  and  a  proper  and  easy  connection  in  The  Bronx  of  the  lines  of  the  New 
York  Central  and  the  New  York,  New  Haven  and  Hartford  Railroads,  and  you  have 
connected  up  every  railroad  entering  New  York  City,  you  have  made  it  easily 
accessible  to  lines  being  built  along  the  East  River  water  front  in  both  the  Bronx  and 
Queens,  you  have  connected  with  the  New  York  Central  freight  line  leading  down  the 
westerly  side  of  Manhattan  Island,  an  extension  of  which  either  a  depressed  or  an 
elevated  southward  would  open  up  the  entire  North  River  water  front,  and  in  con- 
nection with  the  lines  already  operating  into  the  Bush  Terminal  you  have  made 
available  the  water  front  along  Brooklvn's  New  Yorlc  Harbor  shores  and  have  entirely 
opened  up  the  sreat  expanse  of  manufacturing  sites  around  Jamaica  Bay.  If,  in  con- 
nection  with  this,  the  terminus  of  the  Barge  Canal  could  be  established  in  Jamaica 


125 

Bay  by  the  cutting  of  a  canal  from  Flushing  Bay  through  to  Jamaica  Bay,  thus  per- 
mittmg  barges  going  down  the  North  River  and  through  the  Harlem  River  into  Long 
Island  Sound  to  pass  directly  througli  to  Jamaica  Bay  without  having  to  pass  through 
the  congested  East  or  North  Rivers  of  New  York  Harbor,  and  we  have  established 
a  condition  of  freight  traffic  and  freight  handling  in  this  city  unsurpassed  by  any  other 
city  on  the  Atlantic  or  Pacific  coasts. 

"I  believe  the  first  and  most  important  step  to  take  in  this  connection  is  securing 
from  the  city  proper  appropriation  for  the  improvement  of  Jamaica  Bay,  and,  if  pos- 
sible, securing  the  terminus  of  the  Barge  Canal  in  that  same  harbor.  You  will  recall 
that  the  representatives  of  the  various  railroads  present  at  the  hearing  of  the  com- 
mittee in  the  Mayor's  room,  a  few  weeks  ago,  stated  that  if  Jamaica  Bay  was  im- 
proved along  the  lines  suggested  above,  the  necessity  for  a  belt  line  such  as  suggested 
above  would  be  imperative,  and  would  likewise  be  a  paying  commercial  proposition. 
I  do  not  think  there  would  be  any  trouble  to  build  such  a  line  with  private  capital  if  the 
Barge  Canal  should  terminate  in  Jamaica  Bay  and  the  bay  be  properly  improved." 

Mr.  Paris  stated  that  in  his  judgment  the  improvement  of  conditions  of  freight 
traffic  is  the  best  means  of  securing  a  normal  distribution  of  factories  throughout  the 
City. 

As  is  well  known,  Mr.  William  J.  Wilgus,  President  of  the  Amsterdam  Corpora- 
tion, has  suggested  a  tunnel  for  carrying  freight  in  Manhattan,  which  would  involve 
an  initial  expense  of  approximately  $100,OCO,000.  The  connecting  lines  proposed  by 
the  New  York,  New  Haven  and  Hartford  Railroad,  to  run  through  from  The  Bronx 
across  to  Randalls  and  Wards  Islands,  southeast  through  Queens,  is  an  important 
method  of  securing  desired  distribution  of  factories. 

It  has  also  been  suggested  by  members  of  the  Produce  Exchange  who  have  stud- 
ied the  question  through  numerous  special  committees,  that  it  might  be  possible  to 
utilize  the  various  surface  railroads  running  through  Manhattan  for  freight  purposes, 
moving  freight  during  the  night  hours,  and  that  this  could  be  done  by  the  formation 
of  a  company  with  an  arrangement  with  the  various  railroads  to  pass  over  their  lines. 
In  South  Brooklyn  the  Brooklyn  Rapid  Transit  Company  operate  light  freight  car 
lines  over  their  lines  and  their  method  is  similar  to  that  of  the  so-called  light  traffic  lines 
of  Germany. 

The  study  made  two  years  ago  by  Dr.  E.  E.  Pratt  of  the  opportunities  for  manu- 
facturing, and  the  reasons  for  locating  factories  in  Queens,  is  appended  as  part  of  the 
report  of  this  committee. 

Mr.  Pratt  found  that  trucking  and  drayage  are  regarded  as  the  most  economical, 
and  that  most  manufacturers  preferred  to  hire  trucks  and  save  the  trouble  of  keeping 
their  stables,  especially  when  their  business  does  not  warrant  the  keeping  of  many 
teams.  The  essential  reasons  given  by  m.anufacturers  for  locating  in  different  sec- 
ttons  of  Brooklyn  were  tabulated,  and  in  South  Brooklyn  the  majority  of  the  manu- 
facturers in  the  Bush  Terminal  gave  as  their  reasons  for  locating  there  the  transpor- 
tation facilities.  In  the  vicinity  of  Brooklyn  Bridge  the  majority  of  the  manufacturers 
regarded  the  saving  of  rent  or  the  cheapness  of  sites  as  the  most  important  item 
and  the  transportation  facilities  second. 

In  Wallabout  Market  the  saving  of  rent  and  the  cost  of  site  were  regarded  as 
most  important  by  the  majority  of  the  manufacturers  interviewed,  and  the  supply  of 
labor  and  transportation  facilities  as  next  important.  Of  the  firms  interviewed  in  Wil- 
liamsburg, practically  all  assigned  the  saving  of  rent  and  the  cheapness  of  sites  as  the 
most  important  items  that  had  led  them  to  locate  there. 

The  report  of  the  State  Department  of  Labor  indicates,  however,  that  despite 
the  certain  advantages  of  manufacturing  in  the  boroughs  outside  of  New  York  City, 
that  the  number  of  factories  in  Manhattan  and  the  number  of  workers  in  Manhattan 
is  actually  increasing  more  rapidly  in  Manhattan  than  in  any  of  the  other  boroughs, 
since  about  four-fifths  of  the  increase  from  1906  to  1909  were  located  in  Manhattan 
Island  and  a  large  number  of  them  below  14th  street  in  Manhattan. 

Mr.  Pratt  notes,  moreover,  the  following  principles  which  usually  obtain  : 

1.  Labor  will  not  follow  factories  if  removed  to  a  considerable  distance. 

2.  Labor  will  not  follow  factories  to  the  suburbs  unless  the  neighborhood  condi- 
tions are  attractive  and  adequate  housing  facilities  are  at  hand. 

3.  To  ensure  a  labor  supply,  the  worker  should  be  compensated  in  definite  ways 
for  the  losses  of  city  life,  by  providing  recreations,  amusements  and  education  for  him. 

4.  Recent  investigations  which  have  been  made  in  New  York  City  show  that  no 
matter  whether  the  factory  is  located  in  the  most_  congested  sections  of  Manhattan  or 
in  furthest  Brooklyn,  the  distribution  of  population  bears  very  close  relation  to  the 
place  of  work  and  to  the  working  conditions.  The  old  theory  that  congestion  is  due 
to  the  congregation  of  nationalities  who  desire  to  live  huddled  together  in  little  col- 
onies is  fallacious.     In  studying  the  distribution  of  workers  in  the  factories  of  New 


126 


York  City,  it  has  been  found  that  in  every  instance  it  is  the  location  of  the  place  of 
work,  and  not  the  nationality  group,  which  determines  residence.  There  are  deeper 
and  more  fundamental  causes  at  work,  some  of  which  we  have  been  considering. 

Mr.  Pratt  gives  in  the  following  tables  the  result  of  his  findings : 
Italians  Working  in  Manhattan  and  Brooklyn. 


Living  in 
Brooklyn. 

Living  in  Manhattan, 
Below  14th  St. 

Liv: 

ing  in  Manhattan, 
Above  14th  St. 

Working  in   Manhattan 

\\'orking  in  Brooklyn 

Per  Cent. 
.15.3 

55.5 

Per  Cent. 
61.7 
34.0 

Per  Cent. 

14.4 

3.8 

Distribution 

of  Workers 

in  Manhattan  and  Brooklyn. 

Distance  from  Work 
Measured  in  Time. 

\\'orking  in 
Manhattan. 

Working  in 
Brooklyn. 

40  minutes  or  less 

41  to  60  minutes 

61  to  80  minutes 

Per  Cent. 

24.6 

22.5 

7.3 

Per  Cent. 
40.7 
31.8 

6.5 

81  to  100  minutes 

101  to  120  minutes 

121  minutes  and  over 

16.9 

21.2 

7.5 

10.9 
7.2 
2.9 

— and  his  conclusions  are  as  follows : 

First,  that  there  are  very  strong  economic  currents  tending  to  force  factories  and 
manufacturing  establishments  from  the  centre  of  the  City  and  its  periphery. 

Second,  that  workers  tend  to  live  near  their  places  of  employment,  and  that  the 
relocation  of  factories  greatly  readjusts  the  distribution  of  population.  These  facts 
lead  irresistibly  to  the  conclusion  that  the  removal  and  relocation  of  manufacturing 
establishments  in  suburban  districts  will  materially  lessen  the  intensitj'  of  the  con- 
gestion of  population,  and  that  the  regulation  of  the  location  of  factories  would,  in  part 
at  least,  prevent  further  increase  of  density. 

Distribution  of  factories  does  not  necessarily  mean  the  forcible  removal  of  the 
factories  of  the  City  at  one  fell  swoop.  It  may  simply  mean  the  arrangement  of 
proper  distribution  and  the  inauguration  of  preventive  measures  for  the  future. 

As  the  result  of  the  study  of  these  conditions  your  Committee  make  the  follow- 
ing recommendations : 

Rccoiiiineiidatioii  of  tlie  Committee  on  Factories  of  the  New  York  City  Commission 
on  Congestion  of  Population,  Mr.  John  Adikes,  Chairman. 
In  the  judgment  of  the  Committee  two  lines  of  action  must  be  adopted  to  secure 
a  better  distribution  of  factories  throughout  Greater  New  York. 

1.  Measures  must  be  adopted  to  prevent  the  location  of  more  factories  in  Man- 
hattan or  at  least  in  sections  of  Manhattan. 

2.  Factories  must  be  encouraged  to  locate  in  the  other  Boroughs  of  the  City. 

1.  Measures  to  Prevent  the  Location  of  More  Factories  in  Manhattan  or  at  Least  in 
Congested  Sections  of  Manhattan. 

First — The  Committee  feel  that  the  only  way  to  prevent  the  location  of  more 
factories  in  Manhattan  is  absolutely  to  prohibit  their  location  in  the  Borough  or  in 
certain  sections  of  the  Borough,  where  as  has  been  shown  by  the  preceding  state- 
ment their  presence  either  constitutes  a  menace  to  the  halth  of  the  workers  in  the 
factories  or  puts  upon  them  and  ultimately  upon  the  consumers  of  the  goods  a  heavy 
and  unnecessary  cost  of  carfare,  truckage  and  breaking  bulk.  Factories  in  the  centre 
of  Manhattan  involves  a  tremendous  cost  also  to  the  City  in  the  wear  and  tear  upon 
the  streets  and  in  delaying  traffic,  and  is  from  this  point  of  view  a  direct  injury  to  the 
City  itself.  The  prohibition  of  factories  in  certain  districts  has  ample  precedents  in 
foreign   countries. 

Many  cities  in  German}-,  Austria,  France  and  Switzerland  have  laws  which  abso- 
lutely prohibit  the  locating  of  factories  except  in  districts  designated  by  the  City 
authorities.  The  Town  Planning  Act  passed  in  England  this  year  (1910)  secures  the 
right  to  the  Local  Council  to  determine  the  use  to  which  land  shall  be  put  and  hence 
by  interpretation  to  determine  the  districts  in  which  factories  may  be  located  as  pro- 
vided in  section  45  of  the  Town  Planning  Act.     Toronto.  Canada,  also  has  preserved 


127 

certain  residential  districts  from  manufacturing  through  a  by-law  authorizing  them  to 
determine  districts  which  may  be  so  restricted. 

The  Board  of  Harbor  and  Land  Commissioners  of  Massachusetts,  created  by  Act 
of  Legislature  in  1879,  has  a  right  to  determine  the  location  of  factories  in  certain 
districts  or  in  cities  where  in  their  judgment  the  same  is  undesirable.  The  construc- 
tion of  factories  and  building  of  wharves  or  tilling  in  and  occupying  of  land  in  tide- 
water, etc.,  that  would  in  any  way  interfere  with  the  use  of  the  waters  of  the  city 
they  have  the  right  to  prevent  and  to  remove  any  encroachments  or  causes  of  any 
kind  which  may  injure  the  Connecticut  River  or  interfere  with  the  navigation  of  any 
harbors  of  the  cities  or  towns  along  the  river.  The  authority  of  this  l'>oard  has  been 
materially  extended  by  the  revised  Laws  of  1902  and  their  jurisdiction  [jjA  functions 
are  along  the  same  lines  as  the  authority  suggested  to  be  conferred  on  'the  City  of 
New  York  to  prohibit  the  location  of  factories  in  certain  districts  because  their  loca- 
tion there  will  either  impede  traffic  unnecessarily  or  cause  the  City  an  enormous  and 
•  unjustifiable  expense. 

The  City  of  Cleveland  also  through  its  Building  Code,  by  requiring  factories  to  be 
constructed  of  semi-fireproof  material,  has  practically  restricted  the  location  of  fac- 
tories. 

Second — In  the  judgment  of  the  Committee  these  precedents  are  ample  to  justify 
the  recommencfations  that  legislation  be  sought  to  prohibit  the  location  of  factories 
in  certain  sections  of  Manhattan  since  the  evil  effects  of  locating  more  factories 
here  has  been  amply  demonstrated.  They  believe  that  this  is  no  interference  with 
property  rights  nor  confiscation  of  such  rights,  but  w-ithin  the  police  power  of  the 
State.  For  fear,  however,  such  a  law  might  be  declared  unconstitutional,  your  Com- 
mittee recommend  that  legislation  be  secured  restricting  the  cubage  and  volume  of 
buildings  to  be  used  for  factory  and  loft  purposes.  The  Mayor's  first  Building  Code 
Revision  Commission  recommended  that  no  building  should  be  permitted  to  exceed 
a  volume  or  cubage  of  174  times  the  area  of  the  site,  which  means  substantially  a 
height  of  14  stories.  As  many  factory  or  loft  buildings  16  to  24  stories  in  height  are 
now  being  constructed  in  Manhattan,  this  restriction  upon  the  volume  would  mate- 
rially reduce  the  rentable  floor  space  provided  in  such  buildings  and  the  consequent 
congestion  of  operatives  in  factories  as  well  as  in  the  tenements  adjacent,  and  the 
Committee  w-ould  suggest  that  buildings  to  be  occupied  by  factories  or  lofts  be  limited 
to  a  cubage  of  132  times  the  area  of  the  site,  which  would  be  equivalent  to  12  stories, 
counting  eleven  feet  to  a  story. 

Third — The  Committee  recommend  not  only  that  no  factory  or  loft  building  here- 
after to  be  erected  shall  exceed  a  cubage  or  volume  of  132  times  the  entire  area  of  the 
lot  upon  which  it  is  located,  above  the  curb  level  of  the  lowest  street  upon  which  it 
stands,  but  that  at  the  rear  of  every  such  building  hereafter  erected  there  shall  be 
provided  a  yard  open  and  unobstructed  from,  the  street  level  to  the  sky  across  the 
entire  width  of  the  lot  and  of  a  depth  equal  to  one-tenth  of  the  height  of  the  building, 
but  in  no  case  less  than  one-tenth  of  the  depth  of  the  lot,  or  if  the  lot  be  under  one 
hundred  feet  in  depth  of  a  depth  less  than  ten  feet,  and  that  no  premises  or  building 
hereafter  erected  shall  be  converted  to,  or  occupied  as  a  factory  or  loft,  that  does  not 
conform  to  these  requirements. 

Fourth — The  Committee  recommend  that  500  cubic  feet  of  air  space  be  provided 
for  each  employee  in  a  factory  instead  of  .250  cubic  feet  of  air  space  as  at  present,  and 
600  cubic  feet  of  air  space  instead  of  400  as  at  present  between  the  hours  of  6  p.  m. 
and  6  a.  m.,  under  the     provisions  of  the  present  labor  law. 

Fifth- — The  Committee  recommend  that  manufacturing  in  tenement  houses  be 
prohibited,  or  if  that  is  not  possible  that  at  least  such  manufacturing  be  prohibited  in 
tenements  in  which  there  are  children,  and  that  the  manufacturer  be  made  responsible 
for  the  conditions  under  which  his  goods  are  manufactured  and  for  any  violation  of 
the  above  provisions,  and,  also,  that  he  be  required  to  tag  his  goods  so  that  they  may 
be  identified  at  any  time  and  that  a  State  Commission  be  created  to  determine  the 
best  methods  of  prohibiting  or  rigorously  restricting  manufacturing  in  tenements. 

Sixth — The  Committee  after  careful  study  of  the  proposition  made,  for  a  Joint 
Railroad  Terminal  on  the  North  River  above  25th  street,  recomm.end  that  while  a 
joint  railroad  terminal  is  doubtless  valuable,  that  the  construction  of  factories  on  any 
considerable  scale  here  as  proposed  be  unwise,  as  it  would  tend  to  produce  the  same 
congestion  of  population  and  congestion  of  traft'ic  as  has  been  produced  by  12-story 
factories  in  other  sections  of  the  City.  The  present  congestion  of  traffic  on  the  west 
side  is  sufficiently  serious  without  aggravating  it  by  the  construction  of  more  fac- 
tories as  contemplated  in  this  plan. 

The  provisions  for  elevated  lines  for  assembling  freight  are,  however,  in  the  judg- 
ment of  the  Committee,  very  wise,  although  they  would  suggest  that  further  exten- 


128 

sions  of  the  lines  that  tap  the  central  parts  of  Manhattan  Island  not  now  reached  by 
any  freight  line  should  be  provided. 

2.     Measures  to  Encourage  Factories  to  Locate  in  Other  Borouglis  of  the  City  Than 

Manhattan. 

The  Committee  is  thoroughly  convinced  that  mere  repressive  measures  will  not 
be  sufficient  to  secure  the  location  of  factories  in  the  other  Boroughs  of  the  City 
than  Manhattan.  They  therefore  make  the  following  recommendations  to  encourage 
the  location  of  factories  in  the  Boroughs  of  Brooklyn,  Queens,  The  Bronx  and 
Richmond : 

First — T\  e  adequate  improvement  of  the  water  front  with  piers  and  docks  for 
factory  purposes  and  with  warehouses.  The  single  pier  constructed  by  the  City  in 
South  Brooklyn  at  37th  street  was  constructed  at  an  expense  of  approximately  one  and 
a  quarter  million  dollars,  and  for  the  large  site  on  which  this  is  located  the  City  paid 
in  1908  approximately  $4,666,000,  although  the  land  was  assessed  for  only  about  two- 
fifths  of  this  amount.  The  entire  pier  over  1,000  feet  in  length  is  leased  to  a  single 
company  for  less  than  $40,000  a  year,  which  with  depreciation  and  loss  of  taxes  on 
the  property  means  that  the  City  is  practically  conducting  a  philanthropy.  The  back- 
ground from  this  pier  is  a  waste  and  the  City  is  losing  a  large  amount  of  money  on 
the  capital  tied  up  as  well  as  in  the  loss  of  the  taxes  upon  the  property.  Evidently, 
however,  the  City  should  develop  this  water  front  similarly  to  the  economic  develop- 
ment of  the  Bush  Terminal  Company. 

Your  Committee  agree  with  the  conclusion  reached  by  the  Chicago  Harbor  Com- 
mision,  after  a  study  of  European  ports,  that  the  City  should  not  attempt  to  make 
over  3  per  cent,  net  on  its  piers  and  docks,  since  the  additional  business  brought  to  the 
City  through  the  attraction  of  commerce  justifies  such  an  apparently  small  net  return. 

It  is  evident  that  some  effort  consistently  followed  must  be  adopted  for  develop- 
ing the  waterfronts  of  these  other  Boroughs  to  encourage  the  locating  of  factories  in 
them.  The  Commitee  feel  that  important  as  will  be  the  development  of  Jamaica  Bay, 
that  the  important  step  to  be  taken  in  the  distribution  of  factories  is  the  completion 
of  those  developments  which  have  been  already  started,  such  as  this  one  in  South 
Brooklyn,  and  the  completion  of  the  dredging  and  widening  of  the  Newtown  Creek, 
as  well  as  the  development  of  the  waterfronts  of  Staten  Island,  The  Bronx  and 
Queens. 

In  a  recent  paper  Mr.  Hoag,  of  the  Department  of  Docks  and  Ferries,  suggests 
that  the  waterfront  from  Spuyten  Duyvil  south  permits  of  development  on  apparently 
broad  lines  for  coast-wise  or  local  traffic.  A  great  need,  he  states,  exists  at  the  present 
time  for  a  pier  in  Harlem  between  Dyckman's  Cut  and  the  New  York,  New  Haven  and 
Hartford  Railroad  yard  at  Willis  avenue.  A  new  plan  already  established  provides 
for  a  pier  40  feet  wide  between  the  Fordham  Road  pier  and  the  University  Heights 
Bridge  pier,  the  City  owning  this  property.  Practically  all  the  frontage.  Mr.  Hoag 
states,  along  this  district  is  relatively  easy  of  development  for  at  least  local  traffic. 
The  portion  of  The  Bronx  waterfront  between  Barretto  Point  and  Hunts  Point  is 
well  adapted  for  coast-wise  traffic  and  would  be  for  transatlantic  traflic  were  it  not  for 
the  enforced  approach  through  Long  Island  Sound.  Along  this  stretch  of  the  water- 
front the  City  owns  property  at  the  foot  of  Willis  avenue. 

Second — The  Committee  recommend  that  the  freight  lines  connecting  all  the  Bor- 
oughs be  constructed  as  soon  as  possible. 

Third — The  Committee  recommend  that  the  ferriage  charg  for  trucks  on  all 
Municipal  ferries  be  equalized,  to  the  present  minimum. 

Fourth — The  Committee  recommend  that  further  provisions  be  made  for  carrving 
trucks  on  the  Municipal  Ferry  boats  now  running  from  Manhattan  to  South  Brooklyn 
and  to  Staten  Island,  both  to  Stapleton  and  St.  George,  by  altering  the  boats  so  that 
they  can  carry  four  lines  or  rows  of  trucks,  and  all  Municipal  Ferry  boats  should 
herenfter  be  constructed  in  this  way. 

Fifth — The  Committee  believe  that  to  shorten  the  w-ork-day  to  eight  or  even  nine 
hours  universally  would  have  a  great  effect  in  distributing  population,  since  it  is 
generally  true  that  the  longest  hours  of  work  of  any  member  of  the  family  determines 
the  location  of  the   family. 

In  conclusion,  the  Committee  would  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  factories  are 
leaving  New  York  City  and  New  York  State  and  locating  in  New  Jersey  very  rapidly. 
They  have  not  been  able,  owing  to  the  lack  of  any  appropriation,  to  collect  statistics 
showing  the  extent  of  such  factory  removals,  but  have  cited  the  case  of  two  im- 
portant factories.  The  J.  L.  Mott  Iron  Works,  which  removed  their  factory  from  The 
Bronx  to  Jersey  City,  taking  with  them  most  of  the  500  to  600  men  whom  they 
employed  there,  and  the  Henry  R.  Worthington  Company,  also  removed  recently  from 


129 

Brooklyn  to  Harrison,  N.  J.  The  latter's  weekly  payroll  was  about  $30,000,  over 
$l,50O,0OO  a  year,  and  most  of  their  workers  went  with  them. 

In  the  judgment  of  your  Committee  the  reasons  assigned  by  the  manufacturers  are 
worthy  of  careful  consideration  by  this  Commission:  They  are  high  rents,  high  cost  of 
land,  high  taxes  and  strictness  of  the  City  as  to  the  smoke  nuisance. 

It  is  evident  that  high  land  values  mean  not  only  that  higher  rents  must  be  paid 
for  sites  for  factories,  but  also  that  higher  wages  must  be  paid  to  operatives  so  that 
they  can  afford  to  pay  the  increased  rental  which  high  land  values  necesitate  if  con- 
gesion  of  population  is  to  be  prevented  It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  that  these 
four  causes  for  the  removal  of  factories  from  New  York  City  should  be  removed  as 
far  as  possible  if  factories  are  to  be  successfully  retained  in  New  York  City  and  if 
manufacturing  is  to  remain  an  important  undertaking  in  the  City.  General  informa- 
tion suffices  to  demonstrate  that  land  cannot  be  made  relatively  cheap  in  the  Borough 
of  Alanhattan,  and  that  high  taxes  are  inevitable  with  the  large  expenditures  which 
the  City  has  already  undertaken  and  to  which  it  is  already  committed,  but  that  taxes 
ran  be  adjusted  so  that  the  City  can  encourage  the  location  and  retention  of  factories 
m  the  City. 

Tn  this  connection  your  Committee  would  call  attention  to  the  beneficent  eflfect  in 
retaining  factories  in  the  Boroughs  outside  of  Manhattan  of  taxing  land  double  the 
rates  on  buildings,  that  is,  halving  the  taxes  on  buildings. 

The  tax  rate  in  Brooklyn  and  Queens  in  1910  per  $100  of  assessed  valuation  was 
approximately  $1.81.  That  is,  for  a  factory  building  worth  $50,000,  located  on  a  site 
worth  $25,000.  the  total  taxes  in  1910  in  these  two  Boroughs  would  be  $1,357.50.  If, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  tax  rate  on  land  had  this  year  been  twice  the  tax  rate  on  build- 
ings the  land  rate  would  have  been  about  $2.19  plus  and  the  tax  rate  on  buildings 
$1,095  per  $100.  The  taxes  on  the  buildings  assessed  for  $50,000  would  have  been 
$545,  and  the  taxes  on  the  land  approximately  $647.57,  a  total  of  $1,192.50,  meaning  a 
net  saving  on  taxes  in  this  specific  case  of  about  $165,  or  approximately  one-eighth  of 
the  total  taxes.  This  is  of  course  not  a  large  amount,  but  a  large  proportion,  and  in 
most  cases  the  assessed  value  of  the  land  would  be  much  less  than  one-half  of  the 
assessed  valuation  of  the  buildings,  particularly  in  outlying  districts,  so  that  the  total 
saving  would  often  be  one-fourth  to  one-fifth  of  the  present  taxes,  if  land  were  taxed 
at  double  the  rate  on  building.*. 

The  Bush  Terminals  serve  as  a  notable  example  of  the  economic  development  of 
the  City  througli  the  nonnal  distribution  of  factories.  The  chief  features  of  the 
Bush  Terminals  are  as  follows  : 

The  plant  consists  of  a  large  area  of  land  relatively  cheap,  situated  on  the  water- 
front in  South  Brooklyn,  with  well-lighted  concrete  buildings  directly  connected  by  its 
own  lines  with  the  railroads  of  the  Borough  and  Queens  and  with  wharfage  facilities 
for  transatlantic  traft'ic  as  well  as  coast-wise  traffic,  also  provisions  for  floats  con- 
necting with  all  the  transcontinental  railroads.  The  chief  advantages  offered  bj^  the 
location  of  these  lofts  contiguous  to  the  water  front  or  cheap  land  are : 

First — The  saving  of  rent. 

Second — The  saving  of  truckage. 

Third — Saving  of  insurance. 

Fourth — Saving  of  carfare  and  hence  of  wages. 

These  distinct  advantages  should  be  referred  to.  The  last  advantage  is  not  so 
apparent,  but  the  fact  remains  that  although  the  nominal  wage  paid  to  the  operatives 
in  the  factories  occupying  the  Bush  Terminals  are  the  same  as  those  paid  operatives 
in  Manhattan  factories,  yet  the  men  who  ride  to  their  work  pay  $30  a  year  for  carfare, 
assuming  300  working  days  to  the  j^ear  at  10  cents  per  day  carfare,  and  this  is  an  item 
which  should  be  carefully  considered  by  the  manufacturers  in  Greater  New  York. 

It  is  evident  that  the  manufacturer  is  pre-eminently  benefited  by  increasing  the 
rate  of  taxation  on  land  and  reducing  the  rate  on  buildings  in  three  respects : 

(a)  The  total  amount  of  his  taxes  is  materially  reduced. 

(b)  Land  for  manufacturing  purposes  is  cheaper. 

(c)  The  heavier  rate  of  taxation  on  land  stimulates  the  construction  of  more 
buildings  and  hence  through  the  operation  of  economic  laws  the  rent  his  workers 
must  pay  is  reduced  which  permits  the  payment  of  lower  wages  without  any  in- 
justice to  these  workers. 

(d)  The  distribution  of  factories  also  by  eliminating  or  reducing  the  cost  of  car- 
fare for  his  workers  also  enables  the  manufacturer  to  pay  lower  wages  without  reduc- 
ing the  standard  of  living  of  his  workmen. 


130 

Comparison  of  the  Number  of  Workers  in  Factories  and  Area  in  the  Five  Boroughs 

of  New  York  in  1906. 
Manhattan,  below  14th  st.,  east  of,  and  20th  st.  west  of  7th  ave.,  total  area  2,717  acres 

Number  of  Workers,  321,488. 

^__ Per  Cent. 

1.  Group  IX — Clothing,   millinery,  laundry,  etc 155,558  48.3 

2.  Group  VII — Printing  and  paper  goods 51,909  16.2 

3.  Group  II — Metals,  machines  and  conveyances 37,253  11.7 

4.  Group  X — Food,  liquors  and  tobacco 24,196  7.5 

5.  Group  IX — Leather    and    rubber   goods 20,003  6.2 

6.  Group  III — \\'ood  manufacturers   10,583  3.3 

7.  Group  VIII— Textiles    9,123  2.8 

8.  Group  V — Chemicals,  oils,  paints,  etc 7,723  2.4 

9.  Group  I — Stone,  clay  and  glass  products 2,628  0.8 

10.  Group  XI— Water,  light  and  powder  1,022  0.3 

11.  Group  VI— Paper  and  pulp    873  0.3 

12.  Group  XII— Building  industry  617 02 

Manhattan,  above  14th  st.,  east  of,  and  20th  st.  west  of  7th  ave.,  total  area  11,321  acres. 

Number  of  Workers,  160,368. 

Per  Cent. 

1.  Group  IX — Clothing,   milliner}^   laundry,   etc 35,257  3.45 

2.  Group  X — Food,   liquors   and   tobacco    29,465  18.4 

3.  Group  II — Metals,  machines  and  conveyances   22,365  13.9 

4.  Group  III — Wood  manufacturers   15,476  9.7 

5.  Group  VII — Printing  and  pap'er  goods   13,414  8.3 

6.  Group  IV — Leather  and  rubber  goods    7,715  4.8 

7.  Group  VIII— Textiles    7,598  4.7 

8.  Group  I — Stone,  clay  and  glass  products 4,235  2.7 

9.  Group  XI — Water,  light  and   powder 2,426  1.5 

10.  Group  V — Chemicals,  oils,  paints,  etc 1,781  1.1 

11.  Group  XII — Building  industry  636 0.4 

The  Bronx,  total  area  26.017  acres. 

Number  of  Workers,   18,143. 

Per  Cent. 

1.  Group  II — Metals,  machines  and  conveyances 5,203  28.6 

2.  Group  III — Wood    manufacturers    4,775  26.2 

3.  Group  VIII— Textiles    1,955  10.7 

4.  Group  X — Food,  liquors  and  tobacco 1,827  10.5 

5.  Group  IX — Clothing,    millinery,    laundry,    etc 771  9.7 

6.  Group  I — Stone,   clay   and  glass   products 1,218  6.6 

7.  Group  VII — Printing  and   paper   goods 543  3.0 

8.  Group  IV — Leather    and    rubber    goods 301  1.7 

9.  Group  XI — Water,  light  and  power  284  1.6 

10.  Group  V — Chemicals,  oils,  paints,  etc 229  1.2 

11.  Group  XII — Building  industry 37  0.2 


Brooklyn,  total  area  49,680  acres. 

Number  of  Workers.  132,466. 


Per  Cent. 


1.  Group  II — Metals,   machines   and    conveyances 35,942  27.1 

2.  Group  IX^ — Clothing,  millinery,  laundry,  etc 26,935  20.4 

3.  Group  X — Food,  liquors  and  tobacco 13,330  10.1 

4.  Group  III — Wood    manufacturers    11,881  9.0 

5.  Group  VIII— Textiles    10,967  8.3 

6.  Group  VII — Printing  and  paper  goods  9,358  7.4 

7.  Group  IV — Leather  and  rubber  goods 9,201  6.9 

8.  Group  V — Chemicals,  oils,  paints,  etc 6,620  5.0 

9.  Group  I — Stone,  clav  and  class  products 5,447  4.1 

10.  Group  XI— Water,  light  and  power 1,828  1.0 

11.  Group  VI — Paper  and   pulp    541  0.4 

12.  Group  XTI— Building   industry 407  0.3 


Queens,  total  area  82,883  acres. 


131 
Number  of  Workers,  22,324. 


Per  Cent. 


1.  Group  II- — Metals,  machines  and  conveyances $,693  39.0 

2.  Group  ^'II— Textiles    2,375  10.6 

3.  Group  III — Wood    manufacturers    2,340  10.5 

4.  Group  V — Chemicals,  oils,  paints,  etc 2,263  10.0 

5.  Group  I — Stone,  clay  and  glass  products 2,151  9.7 

6.  Group  X — Food,  liquors  and  tobacco 1,744  7.8 

7.  Group  IV — Leather    and    rubber   goods 1,425  6.4 

8.  Group  XI — Water,   light  and   power 507  2.3 

9.  Group  VII — Printing  and  paper  goods 472  2.1 

10.  Group  IX — Clothing,   milliner^-,   laundry,   etc 284  1.3 

11.  Group  VI — Paper  and  pulp    70  0.3 


Richmond,  total  area  36,600  acres. 

Number  of  Workers,  7,960. 


Per  Cent. 


Group  II — Metals,  machines  and  conveyances 2,800  "  36.5 

Group  I— Stone,  clay  and  glass  products 1,295  16.2 

Group  V — Chemicals,  oils,  paints,  etc 1,032  13.0 

Group  VIII— Textiles    812  10.2 

Group  IX — Clothing,  millinery,  laundry,  etc 749             9.4 

Group  X — Food,  liquors  and  tobacco 444              5.6 

Group  VI — Paper  and  pulp    339              4.3 

Group  III — Wood  manufacturers   175              2.2 

Group  VII — Printing  and   paper  goods 127              1.5 

Group  XI — Water,   light  and  power    78              1.0 

Group  XII — Building  industry   5 0.1 


Total  area  of  New  York,  209,218  acres. 

Total  Number  of  Workers,  662,749. 


Per  Cent. 


Group  IX — Clothing,  milliner}%  laundry,  etc 240,554  36.3 

Group  II — Metals,   machines    and    conveyances 112,355  17.0 

Group  VII — Printing  and  paper  goods 75,823  11.4 

Group  X — Foods,  liquors  and  tobacco 71,015  10.7 

Group  III — Wood    manufacturers    45,230  6.8 

Group  IV — Leather  and  rubber  goods   38,645  5.8 

Group  VIII— Textiles 32,830  5.0 

Group  V — Chemicals,  oils,  paints,  etc 19,653  3.0 

Group  I — Stone,  clav  and  glass  products 16,974  2.6 

Group  XI— Water,  Light  and   Power 6,145  0.9 

Group  VI — Paper   and   pulp 1,823  0.3 

Group  XII— Building  industry  1.702  0.2 


Comparison  of  Density  of  Population,  Density  of  Workers  in  Factories  and  Density 
of  Factories  per  Acre  in  the  Five  Boroughs  of  Greater  New  York  in  1906. 

Man-        The      Brook-  Rich- 

hattan.     Bronx.      lyn.      Queens,    mond. 

Densitv  of  Population  (from  State  Census 

of  1905)    150.4        10.4        27.3  2.4  1.9 

Density  of  Workers  (from  State  Dept.  of 

Labor  Report  of  1906) 34.33        0.70        2.25        0.24        0.21 

Densitv  of  Factories  (from  State  Dept.  of 

Lab6r  Report  of  1906) 1 .383      0.025      0.094      0.005      0.00 


132 

The  disproportion  in  the  number  of  Workers  in  Factories  and  Factories  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  Manhattan  is  indicated  by  the  following  figures : 

Sixth 
Workers.  .  Assembly        Below  Above  Man- 

District.        14th  St.  14th  St.  hattan 

In  Factories    56,598  321,488  160,366  481,856 

Factories    2,349  13,067  6,483  19,550 

Area  in  Acres 186  2,717  11,321  14,038 

Twelve  per  cent,  of  the  Factories  and  11.7  per  cent,  of  the  Workers  in  Manhattan 
are  crowded  into  the  Sixth  Assembly  District,  1.3  per  cent,  of  the  area  of  Manhattan. 

The  average  assessed  value  of  land  per  acre,  secured  from  100  lots  scattered 
throughout  the  District,  was  $660,850.20. 

The  Number  of   Buildings  Used  for   Factories  of  an  Indicated   Number  of   Stories 
Below  14th  St.  is  Indicated  by  the  Following  Table. 

1  Story  178  3.7  per  cent. 

2  Stories   245  5 . 1  per  cent. 

3  Stories   649  13.4  per  cent. 

4  Stories   942  19.5  per  cent. 

5  Stories   1,490  30.9  per  cent. 

6  Stories    819  17.0  per  cent. 

7  Stories    216  5.4  per  cent. 

8  Stories   89  1 .8  per  cent. 

9  Stories   32  0.7  per  cenr. 

10  Stories  48  1 .0  per  cent. 

11  Stories  23  0.5  per  cent. 

12  Stories  39  0.8  per  cent. 

13  Stories  4  0.1  percent. 

14  Stories  . .  0.0  per  cent. 

15  Stories  2  0.0  per  cent. 

16  Stories  1  0.0  per  cent. 

Salient  data  has  been  secured  regarding  the  block  in  the  Sixth  Assembly 
District  having  the  greatest  number  of  Workers  in  Factories  per  acre  in  1906,  97.3 
per  cent,  of  the  site  being  covered  by  buildings. 

This  block,  bounded  by  Crosby,  Prince,  Broadway  and  East  Houston  streets,  has 
the  largest  number  of  workers  in  factories  and  factories  per  acre  in  the  Sixth  Assem- 
bly District.  The  Sixth  Assembly  District  has  the  greatest  density  of  workers  in 
factories  and  factories  in  Manhattan. 

Total  Number.  Density  per  Acre. 

Acres,    i ^ n    < ' x 

Area.     Workers.  Factories.     Workers.     Factories. 

Sixth  Assembly  District 186         56.598  2,349  304  13 

This  Block 3,312   ^       4,007  77  1.210  23 


In  1908  the  assessed  value  of  the  buildings  in  this  block  was  $3,171,000. 

In  1908  the  assessed  value  of  the  land  in  this  block  was  $2,593,000. 

In  1908  the  total  assessed  value  of  this  block  was  $5,764,000. 

In  1908  the  assessed  value  of  land  per  square  foot  in  this  block  was  $17.97. 

In  1908  the  assessed  value  of  land  per  acre  in  this  block  was  $782,910.62. 

72.6  per  cent,  is  covered  by  buildings  12  stories  in  height. 

15.6  per  cent,  is  covered  by  buildings    6  stories  in  height. 

2.3  per  cent,  is  covered  by  buildings    5  stories  in  height. 

3.5  per  cent,  is  covered  by  buildings    4  stories  in  height. 

3.3  per  cent,  is  covered  by  buildings    1  story  in  height,  while  only 

2.7  per  cent,  of  the  total  site  of  the  block  is  open  in  courts. 

Blocks  With  Large  Number  of  Workers  in  Factories. 
Between  Chrystie  St.,  W.  4th  st.,  Thompson  st.  and  Canal  st.  there  were  10  blocks, 
each  of  which  in  1906  had  2,400  workers  in  factories  or  over.     There  were  26  blocks 
which  had  between  6C0  and  2.400  workers  in   factories,  while  the  block  bounded  by 
Varick,  Vandam,  McDougal  and   Spring  sts.  had  over  600  workers  in  factories. 


133 

Distribution  of  Industries  by  Assembly  Districts  According  to  the  Twelve  Classes  Into 
Which  the  State  Department  of  Labor  Divides  Factories. 


I. 

Stone,  Clay 

Location  and  Glass  Products. 

Assembly  t ^ 

District  No.  of       No.  of 

( 1905 )  Workers.  Factories. 

First 914 

Second    493 

Third  212 

Fourth 42 

Fifth    150 

Sixth   604 

Seventh 60 

Eighth  10 

Ninth  332 

Tenth 5 

Eleventh   249 

Twelfth 47 

Thirteenth    65 

Fourteenth  22 

Fifteenth   107 

Sixteenth    9 

Seventeenth  357 

Eighteenth   185 

Nineteenth  10 

Twentieth    502 

Tw-enty-first 

Twenty-second   . . .  438 

Twenty-third    54 

Twentv-fourth    ...  133 

Twenty- fifth    425 

Twenty-sixth 315 

Twenty-seventh    . .  168 

Twenty-eighth    ...  135 

Twentv-ninth    ....  15 

Thirtieth 66 

Thirty-first   2 

Thirty-second    ....  Zl() 

Thirty-third    103 

Thirty-fourth    ....  198 

Totals    6,863 


II. 
Metals,  Ma- 
chines, Conveyances. 

, ^ , 

No.  of      No.  of 
Workers.  Factories. 


III. 

Wood 

Manufacturers. 

, ' ^ 

No.  of   No.  of 
Workers.  Factories. 


31 

32 

15 

2 

10 

30 
8 
1 

16 
3 
6 
3 
5 
3 
5 
1 
9 

16 
1 

13 

ii 
1 

9 
28 
4 
4 
3 
2 
7 
1 

13 
6 
9 


308 


6,933 

7,239 

2  522 

1.250 

1,733 

5.837 

7,884 

96 

4,352 

140 

812 

2,412 

912 

362 

366 

845 

850 

2,165 

351 

796 

27 

867 

870 

569 

3,216 

542 

1,579 

318 

350 

297 

225 

1,286 

635 

980 

59,618 


573 
442 
110 
55 
68 
340 
54 
15 
95 
23 
29 
22 
35 
28 
18 
58 
28 
72 
14 
31 
3 
31 
17 
30 
51 
20 
33 
11 
16 
17 
7 

25 
10 
44 


2.425 


735 

1,908 

983 

267 

849 

2,556 

565 

38 

1,371 

82 

580 

754 

962 

568 

1,056 

1,278 

1,457 

1,495 

57 

1,389 

7 

722 

465 

883 

2,351 

606 

697 

26 

92 

176 

21 

182 

63 

818 

26,059 


63 
143 
63 
17 
46 
155 
18 
10 
61 
26 
21 
26 
34 
21 
8 
55 
19 
62 
10 
36 
3 

30 

6 

22 

128 

25 

26 

9 


4 

13 

6 

24 


1.199 


134 


Distribution  of  Industries  by  Assembly  Districts  According  to  the  Twelve  Classes  Into 
Which  the  State  Department  of  Labor  Divides  Factories. 


IV. 

V. 

VI. 

Leather 

Chemicals, 

Location 
Assembly 

and  Rubber  Goods. 

Oils,  Paints,  etc. 

Paper  and  Pulp. 

1 

^ 

c                       ''~                      ^ 

District 

No.  of 

No.  of 

No.  of 

No.  of 

No.  of        No.  of 

(1905) 

Workers 

.  Factories. 

Workers 

.  Factories. 

Workers.  Factories. 

First    

.       3,787 

173     • 

2,762 

122 

26                 2 

Second    

2.941 

185 

2,183 

111 

687               42 

Third    

2,815 

112 

2,77 

15 

18                 2 

Fourth 

175 
.        5,120 

10 

394 

19 
303 

3 
9 

6                 2 

Fifth    

16                 1 

Sixth    

4,332 

322 

429 

26 

120               11 

Seventh    

273 

10 

442 

8 

Eighth  

107 

15 

62 

Ninth 

608 
68 

12 
13 

206 

13 

Tenth     

Eleventh  

471 

10 

140 

Twelfth    

99 

14 

Thirteenth    

119 

7 

132 

Fourteenth  

9 

3 

1,099 

Fifteenth    

5 

1 

Sixteenth    

277 

26 

47 

Seventeenth   

265 

6 

257 

Eighteenth   

204 

11 

52 

Nineteenth   

5 

1 

2 

Twentieth    

97 

9 

48 

Twentv-first    .... 

4 

1 

3 

Twenty-second   . . 

78 

11 

175 

Twentj'-third 

129 

Twentv- fourth    . . 

126 

ii 

3 

Twenty-fifth    

3,623 

191 

496 

21 

Twenty-sixth     . . . 

172 

5 

11 

Twentv-seventh    . 

371 

25 

7 

Twenty-eighth    . . 

47 

3 

Twenty-ninth    . . . 

Thirtieth 

522 
82 

i2 
13 

'3 

Thirty-first    

Thirty-second   . .  . 

848 

10 

60 

4 

Thirty-third    

8 

2 

3 

1 

Thirty-fourth    . . . 

60 

7 

54 

6 

Totals    

.      27,718 

1.625 

9,504 

376 

87"*              fi 

0 

135 


Distribution  of  Industries  by  Assembly  Districts  According  to  the  Twelve  Classes  Into 
Which  the  State  Department  of  Labor  Divides  Factories. 
— — 

Printing 

Location  and  Paper  Goods. 

Assembly  i •^ n 

District  No.  of       No.  of 

(1905)  Workers.  Factories. 

First   12,178             408 

Second   21,704             701 

Third    4,558               12, 

Fourth 334                25 

Fifth    4,623             129 

Sixth    4,556             185 

Seventh 2,860                29 

Eighth  104               17 

Ninth 1,716                20 

Tenth 106                11 

Eleventh   438                 8 

Twelfth    80                14 

Thirteenth    1,225                14 

Fourteenth  706                 8 

Fifteenth   12                  2 

Sixteenth    100                13 

Seventeenth   88                  5 

Eighteenth   665               20 

Nineteenth   16                 4 

Twentieth 1,749               24 

Twenty-first 

Twenty-second   ...  157                 8 

Twenty-third 

Twenty-fourth    ...  55                  4 

Twenty-fifth    5,975             159 

Twenty-sixth 92                 9 

Twenty-seventh    ..  726                17 

Twenty-eighth    ...  19                 2 

Twenty-ninth   6                   1 

Thirty    27                  5 

Thirty-first 34                 8 

Thirty-second    ....  43                 4 

Thirty-third 45                  7 

Thirty-fourth    ....  326               15 

Totals    65.323           1,949            16.721             524          210,815           8.450 


v: 

III. 

IX. 

Clothing, 

,  Mil- 

Textiles. 

linery,  Laun 
No.  of 

dry,  etc. 

No.  of 

No.  of 

No.  of 

Workers. 

Factories. 

Workers.  F 

actories. 

1,786 

70 

20,235 

706 

949 

36 

7,183 

395 

2,534 

101 

33,081 

913 

30 

3 

9,255 

535 

958 

42 

35,036 

985 

2,764 

93 

32,007 

987 

69 

4 

585 

70 

3 

1 

5,114 

304 

429 

8 

964 

61 

1,063 

133 

\2 

3 

81 

13 

14 

2 

5,547 

286 

66 

2 

328 

23 

10 

1 

727 

83 

32 

2 

316 

32 

6 

2 

5,725 

333 

1,886 

11 

458 

30 

157 

4 

558 

62 

336 

2 

579 

55 

22 

3 

732 

59 

344 

70 

646 

72 

566 

3 

zn 

75 

12 

2 

730 

12 

3,186 

104 

36,562 

1,106 

36 

2 

474 

50 

50 

6 

6,626 

332 

132 

43 

384 

4 

793 

123 

79 

4 

591 

48 

12 

1 

946 

146 

32 

1 

1,769 

112 

44 

1 

607 

78 

257 

6 

644 

58 

136 


Distribution  of  Industries  by  Assembly  Districts  According  to  the  Twelve  Classes  Into 
Which  the  State  Department  of  Labor  Divides  Factories. 


X. 

Food, 

Location  Liquors  and  Tobacco. 

Assembly  i ^ v 

District  No.  of       No.  of 

(1905)  Workers.  Factories. 

First    7,287 

Second    4,071 

Third    2,875 

Fourth    810 

Fifth    396 

Sixth   3,214 

Seventh  3,402 

Eighth  323 

Ninth  2,099 

Tenth 340 

Eleventh   782 

Twelfth   485 

Thirteenth   994 

Fourteenth  330 

Fifteenth   322 

Sixteenth    663 

Seventeenth  311 

Eighteenth   1,515 

Nineteenth  219 

Twentieth    1,428 

Twenty-first   536 

Twenty-second   . . .  5,820 

Twenty-third 298 

Twenty-fourth    . . .  2,518 

Twenty-fifth    763 

Twenty-sixth    ....  6,197 

Twenty-seventh    . .  107 

Twenty-eighth    . . .  1,764 

Twenty-ninth    ....  72 

Thirtieth    1,254 

Thirty-first   311 

Thirty-second   ....  1,429 

Thirty-third 258 

Thirty- fourth    ....  468 

Totals    53,661           2,297 


XL 

Water, 

Light  and  Power. 

/ ^ 

No.  of      No.  of 
Workers.  Factories. 


XII. 
Building  Industry. 

, ' X 

No.  of    No.  of 
Workers.  Factories. 


203 
189 
95 
89 
53 
149 
65 
61 
49 
62 
36 
59 
46 
70 
30 
84 
36 
48 
27 
44' 
48 
84 
66 
64 
54 
74 
17 
51 
11 
60 
69 
90 
70 
44 


215 
411 

5 

72 
110 


20 

20 

34 
406 
167 


578 
176 


158 
14 


16 

23 

1 

"6 

35 

3 


435 

1 

16 

3 

2 

1 

269 

56 

300 

1 

24 

4 

75 
257 
93 
30 
45 
69 
20 

94 
5 

20 
3 

62 

17 

3 
10 
25 
13 


29 

24 

46 

7Z 

44 

132 

4 

7 

20 
8 


25 


4 
25 
7 
1 
8 
16 
4 

U 
2 
1 
1 
6 
3 

2 
1 
4 
2 


4 
4 
8 
16 
3 
9 
1 
1 
4 
2 


3.448 


183 


1,253 


154 


137 

Distribution  of  Industries  by  Assembly  Districts  According  to  the  Twelve  Classes  Into 
Which  the  State  Department  of  Labor  Divides  Factories. 

Location  Total. 

Assembly               r— ^ s  Area.  Per  Acre.  Workers 

District  No.  of  No.  of  , •' \    ( ^ n        per 

(1^^5) Workers.    Factories.  Acres.  Workers.  Factories.     Factory. 

First    56,933  2,371  520  1U9.5  4.55  24.0 

Second   50.026  2.324  343  145.8  6.78  21.5 

Third  50,133  1,507  230  218.0  6.53  33.2 

Fourth 12,218  742  166  73.6  4.48  16  4 

Fifth  49.301  1.751  277  177.8  6.31  28.1 

Sixth    56,598  2,349  186  304.3  12.62  24.1 

Seventh  16,168  273  297  54.2  0.92  59.0 

Eighth   5,857  425  98  59.7  4.34  13.8 

Ninth  12,191  354  264  46.2  1.34  34  5 

Tenth 1.809  273  1 14  15.9  2.39  6.6 

Eleventh    3.605  134  194  18.6  0.68  26.9 

Twelfth 9,475  429  160  59.2  2.68  22  0 

Thirteenth    5,271  182  188  28.0  0.97  28.9 

Fourteenth   4,017  225  161  25.0  1.40  17  9 

Fifteenth   2.216  98  124  17.9  0.79  22.6 

Sixteenth    8,953  578  165  54.2  3.50  15.5 

Seventeenth   5,939  151  226  26.2  0.67  394 

Eighteenth   7,599  306  236  32.1  1.30  24  8 

Nineteenth   1,588  117  600  2.8  0.20  13  6 

Twentieth    6,939  222  186  37.4  1.19  31.3 

Twenty-first 921  126  1,068  0.9  0.12  7.3 

Twenty-second    ...  9,367  255  218  43.0  1.17  36  7 

Twenty-third 2,799  176  3,306  0.8  0.05  15.9 

Twenty-fourth    ...  5,077  224  348  14.6  0.64  22  6 

Twenty-fifth    56,939  1,914  460  123.8  4.16  29  7 

Twenty-sixth    8,789  195  224  39.1  0.87  45.0 

Twenty-seventh    ..  10,487  474  434  24.2  1.09  221 

Twenty-eighth 2.445  116  166  14.7  0.70  210 

Twenty-ninth   1.719  166  1,153  1.5  0.14  104 

Thirtieth    3,032  165  220  13.8  0.75  18.4 

Thirty-first    1,652  253  470  3.5  0.54  6.5 

Thirty-second    ....  6,025  272  573  10.5  0.47  221 

Thirty-third    924  183  385  5.0  0.48  10.5 

Thirty-fourth    ....  844  221  278  13.8  0.79  17.3 

Totals    481,856  19,551  14,038  34.3  1.39  24.6 


1. 

Block 

2. 

Block 

3. 

Block 

4. 

Block 

5. 

Block 

6. 

Block 

7. 

Block 

8. 

Block 

9. 

Block 

10. 

Block 

1. 

Block 

2. 

Block 

3. 

Block 

4. 

Block 

5. 

Block 

6. 

Block 

7. 

Block 

8. 

Block 

9. 

Block 

List  of  Blocks  Having  Over  2,400  Workers  in  Factories. 

bounded  by  Bleecker,  W.  3d,  W.  Broadway,  Wooster 2.671 

bounded  by  W.  Houston.  Prince,  W.  Broadway,  Wooster 3,648 

bounded  by  Prince,    Spring,    W.    Broadway,    Wooster 2,726 

bounded  by  Spring,   Prince,  Wooster,  Greene 2.587 

bounded  by  Prince,   W.   Houston,  Wooster,   Greene 2,948 

bounded  by  Bleecker,  W.   3d,   Wooster,   Greene 2,829 

bounded  by  W.  Houston,  Prince.  Greene,  Mercer 2,895 

bounded  by  Prince,   Spring.   Greene,    Mercer 2,895 

bounded  by  W.    Houston,    Prince,   Mercer,    Broadway 2,486 

bounded  by  Prince,  W.  Houston.  Broadway,  Crosby 4,007 

List  of  Blocks  Having  Over  600  Workers  in  Factories, 

bounded  by  E.  4th,  Great  Jones,  Broadway  and  Lafayette  sts..  1,120 

bounded  by  Bond,  Bleecker.  Broadway  and  Lafayette  sts 2,002 

bounded  by  Bleecker.  W.  Houston.  Broadway  and  Crosby  sts..  1,895 

bounded  by  Prince,    Spring,   Broadway   and   Crosby  sts 2,009 

bounded  by  Prince,  Spring,  Crosby  and  Lafayette  sts 1,710 

bounded  by  Spring,  Broome,  Broadway  and  Crosby  sts 1,352 

bounded  by  Broome.  Grand,  Broadway  and  Crosby  sts 1,146 

bounded  by  Howard,   Canal,   Broadway  and   Centre   sts 1,002 

bounded  by  Great  Jones,  Bond,  Lafayette  and   Bowery 1,852 


138 

10.  Block  bounded  by  Bond,  Bleecker,  Lafayette  and  Bowery 1,294 

11.  Block  bounded  by  Hester,   Canal,   Centre   and   Mulljerry  sts '    1,189 

12.  Block  bounded  by  Hester,   Canal.   Mott  and  Elizabeth   sts 1,073 

13.  Block  bounded  by  E.  Houston,  Stanton,  Bowery  and  Forsythe  sts 1,099 

14.  Block  bounded  by  Stanton,   Rivington,   Bowery  and   Forsythe  sts 1,036 

15.  Block  bounded  by  Bleecker,  W.  Houston,  Crosby  and  Lafayette  sts..  945 

16.  Block  bounded  by  Spring,   Broome,  Crosby  and  Lafayette  sts 944 

17.  Block  bounded  by  Broome,  Grand,  Crosby  and  Lafayette  sts 954 

18.  Block  bounded  by  Grand,    Howard,    Crosby    and    Broadway 831 

19.  Block  bounded  by  Grand,   Howard,   Crosby  and  Lafayette  "sts 804 

20.  Block  bounded  by  Howard,    Canal,    Lafayette   and    Centre    sts 708 

21.  Block  bounded  by  Grand,   Howard,  Lafayette   and   Centre   sts 892 

22.  Block  bounded  by  Broome,  Grand,  Lafayette  and  Centre  sts 828 

23.  Block  bounded  by  Grand,   Hester,   Centre  and   Baxter   sts 674 

24.  Block  bounded  by  Grand,  Hester,   Baxter  and  Mulberry  sts 808 

25.  Block  bounded  by  Hester,   Canal,   Elizabeth  and   Bowery 763 

26.  Block  bounded  by  Bayard,  Division,  Bowery  and  Chrystie  sts...- 817 

21.  Block  bounded  by  Hester.  Canal.  Bowery  and  Chrystie  sts 620 


Summary  of  Information  Secured  from  Manufacturers  in  New  York  City  Regarding 
Reasons    for   Selecting  Their    Present   Sites    for   Their    Factory. 


Name  of  Co. 


Nearest  freight 

Sta.  Dis. 

away. 


Cost  per 

year  for 

cartage  to 

and  from 

station. 


What  pro- 
portion of 

val.  of 
goods  you 
produce? 


Value 
of  out- 
put for 
1909. 


Cartage 

bill  for 

1909. 


1. 

Theo.  Eisman,. 

Bush   Terminal   R. 
R.  connects  with 
factory    

Nothing 

2. 

Greenpoint  Met- 
allic Bed  Co.. 

B'klyn   East.    Dist. 
Term.    V^    miles 
dis.   ....' 

$6,000       a  p  - 
proximately 

3. 

M  a  nhattan 
Brush  Co 

Bush   Term.    Cart- 
ing in  and  from 
factory    

$820 

4 

Lawson  &  Co. 

Westchester      an  d 
Brook    ave.    De- 
pot    of     N.     Y. 
Central  R.  R.  Vz 
mile    from    fac- 
tory     

Most      pur- 
chases   del. 
f.  0.  b.  fac- 
tory     ship- 
ping       less 
than      $500 
per    year 

S. 

Eclipse    Box    & 

Lumber   Co. . . 

Each  Dist.  Termi- 
nal Dist.  about  1 
mile  

. 

139 


Summary  of  Information  Secured  from  Manufacturers  in  New  York  City  Regarding 
Reasons  for  Selecting  Their  Present  Sites   for  Their  Factory. 


No.  of 

Employees 

in  shop. 

What  does 

pay-roll 
aggregate  ? 

Do  most  of 

shop-workers 

live  near 

factory  ? 

What  pro- 
portion 
ride  to 
and  fro? 

Are  there  any 
good  houses 

within  Yi 
to  y^  mile? 

No.  1—30 
No.  2—500 
No.  3—36 
No.  4—50 

No.  5—100 

$400  weekly 

6,200  weekly 

14,500  for  year 

About  $1,200 

Yes 
50% 

Yes 

w'kly       Yes 

2-3 
.S0% 

757o 
50% 

5% 

Yes 
Yes 

No— Rents 
are  very 
high. 
Yes 

Summary  of  Information  Secured  from  Manufacturers  in  New  York  City  Regarding 
Reasons   for   Selecting  Their   Present   Sites   for  Their  Factory. 


Hour  of         Hour  for         Length  of 
Beginning  in      Stopping  Stop 

Morning.        at  Night.  at  Noon. 


Is  ft  More  Economical  for  the  City  to 
Construct  Subways  and  Carry  Pas- 
sengers to  and  from  Work,  or 
Freight  Lines  to  Distribute  Fac- 
tories Where  Land  Is  Cheap? 


7.30 


7.00 
7.00 
7.30 


5.30 


5.40 
5.00 
5.30 


30  min. 


40  min. 
30  min. 


Most  working  men  like  to  live  not  too  tar 
from  factory,  providing  they  can  get 
a  home  in  good  houses  at  reasonable 
rents. 


5.     To    be    on    waterfront    and  on  cheap 
land. 


1  hour.  Yes;  I  think  the  idea  is  to  have  workmen 
reside  where  they  can  walk  to  their  daily 
work,  but  that  cannot  prevail  in  crowded 
parts  of  any  city  and  still  enjoy  actual 
living,  so  I  think  subways  or  other  means 
of  transportation  should  extend  to  the 
suburbs,  making  it  possible  for  men  to  re- 
side in  decently  appointed  homes  and  near 
their  work,  and  yet  not  be  deprived  of 
the  blessings  of  the  city  during  their 
earning  or  leisure. 
I  think  it  would  be  best  to  distribute  fac- 
tories and  give  them  the  best  possible 
methods  of  shipping  their  goods. 


Summary  of  Information  Secured  from  Manufacturers  in  New  York  City  Regarding 
Reasons  for   Selecting  Their   Present   Sites   for  Their  Factory. 


Reasons    for   locating    factories   in 
present  sites. 


Under    what    conditions    would    you    re- 
move your  factory  from  Manhattan? 


1.  Reasonable   rent,   low   insurance   and 

every  convenience. 

2.  We  do  a  large  local  city  business. 

3.  To     have    territory     and    up-to-date 

fireproof  place  for  our  help,  as 
they  spend  most  of  their  time  in 
the  factory. 

4.  Near  my  own  home  and  convenient 

for  workmen. 

5.  To  be  on  waterfront  and   on   cheap 

land,  so  we  could  have  plenty  of 
room. 


Am  only  waiting  transit  facilities  before 
building  on  property  in  Unionport 
bought  for  that  purpose  about  six 
years  ago. 


140 

Comparison  of  the  Number  of  Workers  in  Factories  in  Cities  of  New  York  State  and 
the  Remainder  of  the  State  Secured  from  the  Report  of  the  State  Department 
of  Labor. 

(The  State  Department  of  Labor  reports  the  maximum  of  workers  in  factories 
reported  during  every  year  ended  September  30,  and  the  industries  of  the  §tate  are 
divided  into  thirteen  classes.) 

During  the  year  ended  September  30,  1909,  the  following  proportion  of  the  total 
number  of  workers  reported  in  all  classes  were  located  in  New  York  City: 

Per  cent. 

Stone,  Clay  and  Glass  Workers 39 

Metal    and    Machmery    Conveyances 37 

Wood    Manufacturing    51 

Leather  and  Rubber   Manufacturing 54 

Chemicals,  Oils  and   Paints,  etc 51 

Paper  and   Pulp  Manufacturing 6^4 

Printing  and   Paper  Goods 74 

Textiles    71 

Clothing.   Millinery  and   Laundry   Works 66 

Food,   Liquor   and    Tobacco 61 

Water,   Light   and    Power 71 

Building    Industry    70 

Warehouse  and  Cold  Storage 24 

Fifty-six  per  cent,  of  the  total  number  of  workers  of  the  State  were  located  in 
New  York  City,  and  about  two-fifths  of  the  total  number  on  the  island  of  Manhattan. 

The  total  percentage  of  each  of  these  classes  in  New  York  State  out  of  New  York 
City,  Buffalo,  Rochester,  Albany,  Schenectady,  Syracuse,  Troy,  LUica  and  Yonkers 
is  as  follows : 

Per  cent. 

Stone,  Clay  and  Glass  Workers 53 .  56 

Metal    and    Machinery    Conveyances 35 .  27 

Wood    Manufacturing    34.72 

Leather    and    Rubber    Manufacturing 28.32 

Chemical,   Oils  and   Paints,  etc 24.92 

Paper  and   Pulp   Manufacturing 91 .3 

Printing    and    Paper    Goods ' 3.5 

Textiles    55 .  22 . 

Clothing,  Millinery  and  Laundry  Works 22.2 

Food,    Liquor    and    Tobacco 26.4 

Water,    Light   and    Power 19.44 

Building   Industries    20. 5 

Warehouse  and  Cold  Storage 76 . 

Only  27.34  per  cent,  of  the  total  number  of  workers  of  the  State  were  in  towns 
outside  of  these  cities  enumerated  and  the  proportion  of  each  of  these  cities  were 
as   follows : 

Per  cent. 

New  York  56 

Buffalo    5 

Rochester     4 

Albany    0.9 

Schenectady    1 .25 

Syracuse    1.8 

Troy    1.81 

Utica    0.8 

Yonkers    1.9 


Total    72.66 

The  rest  of  the  State,  27.34  per  cent. 

Several  States,  such  as  Massachusetts  and  New  Jersey,  realize  the  evil  results 
from  the  point  of  view  of  the  health  of  laborers  of  such  concentration  of  factories  as 
well  as  the  economic  waste  of  such  concentration  and  have  successfully  undertaken  to 
widen  the  distribution  of  factories  by  an  organized  publicity  by  the  State  Depart- 
ment of  Labor,  indicating  the  opportunities  for  manufacturing  in  New  Jersey  in 
every  city  and  every  town  with  a  population  of  over  100,  through  an  industrial  directory. 


141 

REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  TAXATION  OF  THE  NEW  YORK 
CITY  COMMISSION  ON  CONGESTION  OF  POPULATION,  PROF.  GOOD- 
NOVV,  CHAIRMAN. 

The  Committee  on  Taxation  of  The  New  York  City  Commission  on  Congestion 
of  Population  respectfully  report  as  follows: 

The  Committee  have  held  three  public  meetings,  viz.:  On  October  4,  October  11 
and  October  25.  Public  notice  was  given  of  these  meetings  and  invitations  were 
extended  to  individuals,  who,  it  was  believed,  could  aid  the  committee  in  reaching  a 
determination  as  to  the  inHuence  exerted  by  the  system  of  taxation  upon  the  problem 
of  congestion.  A  number  of  persons,  including  both  those  specially  invited,  and  the 
general  public,   appeared  and  testified. 

The  Committee  have  reached  certain  conclusions  based  partly  on  their  own 
observation  and  investigation  and  partly  on  the  testimony  they  have  heard  which 
they  desire  to  communicate  to  the  Commission. 

First — They  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  inlluence  of  the  system  of  taxation  on 
the  problem  of  congestion  is  not  great  enough  to  justify  reliance  upon  it  as  even  an 
important  means  of  remedying  the  evil.  The  testimony  of  Prof.  E.  R.  A.  Seligman, 
of  Columbia  University,  one  of  the  greatest  living  authorities  upon  the  subject  of 
taxation,  is  to  this  effect. 

Second^The  Committee,  however,  are  of  the  opinion  that  it  is  practically  certain 
that  an  increase  in  the  rate  of  taxation  on  land  and  a  decrease  of  the  rate  on  buildings 
would  have  the  effect  of  encouraging  building  in  the  outljing  sections  of  the  City,  as 
well  as  of  forcing  land  into  the  market  w^hich  is  now  held  for  speculation.  The 
Committee  is  led  to  this  conclusion  both  by  their  study  of  the  effect  of  taxes  based 
upon  this  principle  which  are  levied  in  Germany,  Canada,  Australia,  and  in  certain 
parts  of  the  United  States,  and  by  the  almost  universal  concensus  of  opinion  of  the 
witnesses  who  have  appeared  before  it.  This  would  seem  to  be  the  opinion  of  Prof. 
Seligman,  Mr.  William  E.  Harmon,  a  man  of  wide  experience  in  real  estate  matters; 
Mr.  Frederick  C.  Howe,  formerly  realty  appraiser  in  the  city  of  Cleveland,  and  a 
number  of  others  who  appeared  before  the  Committee. 

The  Committee,  therefore,  recommend  that  the  Commission  direct  its  Committee 
on  Legislation  to  prepare  a  bill  providing  that  the  rate  of  taxation  on  land  be  made 
double  that  on  buildings.  The  constitutionality  of  such  legislation  would  appear  to 
be  settled  by  the  New  York  Cotirt  of  Appeals  in  People  vs.  Romer,  185  N.  Y.  285, 
which  upheld  the  validity  of  an  act  of  the  Legislature  taxing  mortgages  at  a  rate 
different  from  that  imposed  on  other  personal  property. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Commission  has  prepared  tables  to  show  the  effect  of  such 
a  change  in  the  tax  system  on  the  amount  of  tax  to  be  paid  by  owners  of  small 
houses  built  on  cheap  land,  and  by  owners  of  unimproved  land  and  to  what  an  extent 
the  burden  of  taxes  would  be  shifted  as  between  the  several  boroughs. 

These  tables  develop  the  fact  that  the  application  of  the  principle  that  the  rate  on 
land  should  be  double  the  rate  on  buildings  will,  on  the  assumption  that  the  City  raises 
the  same  amount  of  money  out  of  the  real  property  tax  on  ordinary  real  estate  as 
was  raised  in  1909,  causes  an  annual  saving  of  $12.73  to  the  owner  of  a  house  valued 
at  $2.0CO  and  built  on  land  assessed  at  $600,  and  will  increase  the  tax  paid  by  the 
owner  of  vacant  land  assessed  at  $2,000  by  $6.26. 

So  far  as  concerns  the  distribution  of  the  burden  of  taxation  among  the  different 
boroughs,  it  is  shown  that,  whereas  under  the  present  uniform  rate,  the  Borough  of 
Manhattan  pays  $71,526,892.42,  or  67.53  per  cent.,  of  the  tax  levy  of  1909  under  the 
proposed  plan  it  would  pav  $74,071,271.52,  or  69.92  per  cent.  Brooklvn.  which  pays 
at  present  $21,543,038.30,  or"  20.33  per  cent.,  would  pav  $19,052,235.17,  or  17.98  per  cent. 
The  Bronx,  which  pavs  at  present  $6,884,680.47.  or  6.49  per  cent.,  would  pay  $6,913.- 
718.81.  or  6.53  per  cent.  Queens,  which  pavs  now  $4,872,894.71,  or  4.60  per  cent.,  would 
pay  $4,891,470.55,  or  4.62  per  cent.,  and  Richmond,  which  pays  now  $1,105,222.96,  or 
1.05  per  cent.,  would  pay  $1,004,612.83,  or  .95  per  cent. 

In  other  words,  the  change  would  result  in  shifting  some  of  the  burden  of  taxa- 
tion from  the  outlying  districts  like  Brooklyn,  where  building  has  already  taken  place 
on  a  large  scale  either  to  the  high-priced  lands  of  Manhattan,  which  are  more  and 
more  being  used  for  commercial  purposes,  or  upon  the  vacant  lands  of  the  Boroughs 
of  The  Bronx  and  Queens.  That  such  a  shifting  of  the  burden  of  taxation  would  be 
desirable  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  purposes  of  the  Commission  on  Congestion 
can   hardly  be   questioned. 

Third — The  Committee  feel  that  they  cannot  recommend  the  proposition  made  to 
it  that  improvements  on  land  amounting  to  $3,000  be  exempted  from  taxation.  Such 
an  exemption  would  probably  have  to  be  made  to  the  extent  of  the  exemption  in  the 
case  of  all  improvements,  and  would  thus  be  applied  in  many  cases  where  it  is  difficult 


142 

to  believe  that  it  would  have  any  effect  on  congestion.  It  would  further  seriously, 
perhaps  disastrously,  affect  the  city's  finances  by  reducing  the  taxable  base. 

Fourth — The  desirability  of  a  tax  on  the  increment  of  land  value  similar  to  the 
tax  which  has  been  imposed  by  a  number  of  German  cities  has  been  strongly  urged 
upon  the  Committee.  The  Committee  are  unable,  however,  to  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  there  is  any  very  close  connection  between  such  a  tax  and  the  problem  of  con- 
gestion. The  testimony  as  to  the  effects  of  such  a  tax  on  land  speculation  and  in 
keeping  down  the  value  of  land  and  encouraging  the  buildings  of  cheap  dwellings  is 
conflicting.  The  Oberburgermeister  of  Frankfort,  Dr.  Adickes,  is  of  the  opinion  that 
such  a  tax  has  this  effect.  On  the  other  hand,  a  commission  of  the  Senate  of  Hamburg 
informs  us  that  the  land  increment  tax  has  had  no  influence  on  either  land  speculation 
or  the  building  of  cheap  dwellings,  and  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  proof  that  it 
has  reduced  land  values. 

The  present  increment  ta.x  was  adopted  in  Hamburg  in  1908.  Prior  to  that  time 
money  made  in  land  speculation  was  an  income  subjected  to  the  income  tax.  The 
change  was  made  in  order  to  reach  land  owners  not  residents  of  the  city.  The  com- 
munication from  Hamburg  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  losses  sustained  in  land 
speculation  may  be  deducted  from  the  income  subject  to  the  income  tax. 

Dr.  Sudekum,  the  chairman  of  the  Committee  of  the  German  Imperial  Diet,  having 
in  charge  a  bill  for  an  imperial  tax  on  increments  of  land  value,  who  appeared  before 
the  Committee,  and  who  favored  the  imposition  of  such  a  tax,  was  also  of  the  opinion 
that  the  increment  tax  had  only  the  remotest  connection  with  the  problem  of  con- 
gestion. It  was  only,  he  thought,  in  so  far  as  the  city  might  with  the  proceeds  of  such 
a  tax  finance  new  undertakings  for  the  improvement  of  the  social  welfare,  that  the 
increment  tax  had  any  bearing  upon  the  problems  before  the  Commission. 

Professor  Seligman  made  a  suggestion  along  the  same  lines  which  it  seems  to 
the  Committee  it  would  be  well  to  consider.  He  suggested  that  a  tax  on  the  incre- 
ment of  land  value  might  be  made  to  have  an  effect  upon  the  problem  of  congestion  if 
the  proceeds  of  the  tax  were  used  for  the  promotion  of  those  undertakings,  such  as 
transit  undertakings,  which  both  had  an  immediate  effect  on  congestion  and  of  them- 
selves tended  to  improve  land  values.  Such  an  application  of  the  increment  of 
tax  would  be  but  a  development  of  the  principle  of  assessment  for  local  imorovement 
with  which  we  are  all  familiar.  It  is  believed  that  such  a  method  of  distributing  the 
burden  of  an  improvement  would  in  the  long  run  be  fairer  than  the  attempt  to  assess 
the  cost  of  a  transit  undertaking  upon  some  local  district  in  the  city  which  such  under- 
taking was  supposed  to  benefit.  Property  in  lower  Manhattan  has  unquestionably 
been  benefited  bvmany  undertakings  for  which  it  has  never  paid,  like  the  bridges,  sub- 
ways and  tunnels  which  have  brought  thousands  of  persons  to  it. 

The  Committee  would,  therefore,  recommend  that  the  Committee  on  Legislation 
be  directed  to  draft  a  bill  providing  for  an  annual  increment  tax  at  a  low  rate,  say  5 
per  cent.,  the  proceeds  of  which  shall  be  devoted  to  the  building  of  the  transit  lines  of 
which  the  city  is  in  so  great  need. 

It  has  been  urged  upon  the  Committee  that  The  City  of  New  York  should  receive 
a  proportion  of  the  inheritance  taxes  levied  bv  the  State.  The  Committee  are  disin- 
clined to  recommend  any  action  looking  to  such  an  end,  for  they  carnot  ^ep  that  there 
is  anv  connection  between  such  a  tax  and  the  problem  of  congestion,  and  they  believe 
that  the  State  is  in  as  great  need  as  the  citv  of  new  sources  of  revenue. 

Finallv  it  has  been  proposed  to  the  Committee  that  a  pros:ressive  tax  be  imposed 
on  the  cubage  of  buildings  as  determined  bv  the  relation  of  the  size  of  the  buildinss 
to  the  area  of  the  lot  on  which  such  buildins  is  erected.  Although  vour  Committee 
recof^nize  that  such  a  tax  might  have  the  effect  of  limiting  the  heieht  of  the  highest 
buildings,  we  are  of  the  opinion  that  such  a  result  would  be  attained  thro^eh  the  exer- 
cise of  the  police  power  more  effectively  than  through  the  power  of  taxation. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted 

Apdition  to  the  Report  of  the  Committee  ox  T.\x.\tion  of  the  New  York  City 
Commission  on  Congestion  of  PopuL.aiTioN.  Submitted  by  Mr.  John-  J.  Flynn. 

With  the  main  suggestions  of  the  report  submitted  by  the  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee, Prof.  Goodnow,  we  are  in  accord,  provided  slight  modifications  are  made  in 
these. 

In  the  first  paragraph  the  statement  is  made  that  "the  influenc*  of  the  system 
of  taxation  on  the  problem  of  congestion  is  not  great  enough  to  justify  reliance  upon 
it  as  even  an  important  means  of  remedying  the  evil." 

'  The  argument  and  evidence  submitted  bv  the  Chairrnan  shows  that  an  increase 
of  taxation  on  land  and  a  reduction  of  taxation  on  buildings  inevitably  tends  to  re- 
duce rents,  and  hence  to  reduce  congestion. 


The  two  proposals  he  makes,  however,  to  tax  land  twice  as  high  as  buildings — 
that  is,  to  halve  the  tax  rate  on  buildings,  and  to  secure  5  per  cent,  of  the  increase 
in  assessed  land  values  does  not  materially  increase  the  total  revenues  of  the  city. 

The  first  proposal  does  not  increase  the  city  income  at  all,  the  second  by  only  a 
small  amount,  between  $5,000,000  and  $6,ai0,000  a  year. 

The  chief  advantages  of  taxing  land  double  the  rate  on  improvements  on  build- 
ings are : 

First:  That  it  is  more  difficult  for  the  landlord  to  shift  the  tax  on  land  onto  the 
tenant,  and  hence  this  tax  tends  to  make  the  proper  person  pay  the  tax — that  is,  the 
owner  of  land. 

Second:  It  makes  the  wealth  of  land — that  is,  the  costly  land  of  Manhattan, 
pay  a  much  larger  part  of  the  total  tax  levy  on  ordinary  real  estate. 

While  recognizing  that  taxation  is  not  the  only  factor  in  producing  congestion, 
it  seems  a  much  more  important  factor  than  the  report  of  the  Chairman  would  indi- 
cate, particularly  if  it  is  levied  upon  land  chief!}',  so  that  the  tenants  in  a  tenement 
or  the  owner  of  a  small  house  on  cheap  land  is  not  compelled  to  pay  it  in  his  rent. 
It  will  be  generally  agreed  that  a  reduction  of  50  cents  from  the  present  tax  rate — 
that  is,  a  tax  rate  of  only  $1.30  per  $100.00  assessed  valuation,  would  have  a  material 
effect  in  reducing  the  cost  of  housing  and  hence  encourage  theuse  of  more  buildings. 
The  same  result  will  be  accomplished  by  putting  a  much  heavier  tax  upon  land  than 
upon  buildings  and  by  meeting  the  total  city  expenditures  as  they  are  incurred 

It  is  most  illogical  that  over  one-third  of  the  total  tax  levy  this  year  (1910)  is 
devoted  to  the  debt  service. 

The  interest  on  the  city  debt  is $32,178,760  49 

The  redemption  of  the  city  debt  is 7,104,320  39 

Installments  payable    7,160,614.84 

Total    debt    service $46,443,695  72 

The  total  tax  levy  for  1910  is $131,474,981  06 

Divided  as  follows : 

The  tax  lew  on  ordinarv  real  estate $1  ^^-^^l^-^^^  , . 

The  tax  levy  on  special  franchises i  cc-  if4  In 

The  tax  levy  on  real  estate  of  corporations  is 1'-qq  sno  77 

The  tax  levy  on  personal  property  tax  is 6,^89,809  77 

Total  tax  levy  ■■ fi3l,mm.06 

The  tax  rate  varies  from  $1.75790  in  New  York  County  to  $1.8/501  m  Richmond 
Countv  It  is  evident  therefore  that  nearlv  one-third  of  this  tax  rate  is  represented 
bv  and  used  for  the  debt  service  and  that  debt  is  due  to  the  unwise  methods  of  past 
administrations  in  attempting  to  put  upon  future  generations  the  cost  of  the  ex- 
penditures by  which  they  themselves  have  l)enefited.     The  evil  results  of  this  system 

^^  VirsT— To'^'encourage  extravagance  because  the  nominal  tax  rate  has  been  kept 

*°°  Second.-To  make  the  total  cost  to  the  city  nearly  two  and  a  half  times  the 
value  of  the  improvement  or  expenditure  when  corporate  stock  is  issued  to  run  50 
vears  at  4  per  c?nt.  interest  and  sells  at  par,  instead  of  paying  for  improvements  as 
[hex  are  made  and  meeting  current  expenditures  from  current  revenues. 
'TViirH— To  blind  the  public  to  the  actual  cost  ot  government. 
pSurth-To  7ut  a  heavy  burden  upon  the  poor  of  the  city  instead  of  making 
the  holders  of  land  who  are^eaping  fortunes  from  the  nsmg  land  values  pay  their 

'"^fhrColXirshoSTn'TsTatement  he  has  recently  issued  the  result  of  this 

l^^'?^^:T^t  Tef  funded  D^bTt  ^TlZ^^Jt^!^ 
ary  1,  1910,  to  $794,930,288.88.       ,      .^  ^    „      • 

For  1911  the  appropriations  for  Debt  bervice  are.  '$34,214,137  09 

Interest  on  the  city  debt 8658 945  39 

Redemption  of  the  city  debt •  "     y'jggj^g  s\ 

Installments  payable    '___! '. 

$50,661,82199 

Total  debt  service 


144 

It  is  evident  that  the  city  is  running  deeper  and  deeper  into  debt  in  the  attempt 
to  avoid  making  the  land  owners  and  the  wealth  of  New  York  City  pay  their  fair 
share  of  the  city's  expenditures  as  they  are  incurred  and  as  a  business  corporation 
would  do. 

Thus  while  the  nominal  budget  for  1909  was  only  $156,545,148.14,  the  issue  of 
funded  debt  (most  of  it  for  50  years  at  4  per  cent.)  was  $72,560,074.59.  and  the 
issue  of  special  revenue  bonds  $5,208,150.00,  making  the  total  budget  $234,319,372.73,  or 
nearly  $76,000,000  more  than  the  apparent  budget — that  is,  half  as  large  again  as  the 
apparent  budget.  During  1909,  however,  only  $8,190,000.20  was  appropriated  for  pay- 
ment of  the  city  debt. 

It  is  suggested  that  this  Committee  express  their  disapproval  of  such  methods 
of  finance  which,  as  has  been  demonstrated,  increase  the  tax  rate  by  about  one-third 
and  that  the  Commission  make  the  following  recommendations  to  the  Board  of  Esti- 
mate and  Apportionment  and  the  Board  of  Aldermen  : 

First. — That  the  amount  to  be  expended  by  the  city  for  the  acquisition  of  school 
sites,  the  construction  of  school  buildings,  the  acquisition  of  parks  and  playgrounds, 
expenditures  for  water  supply  and  transit  each  year  be  included  in  the  budget  for 
the  year  instead  of  paid  for  by  the  issue  of  corporate  stock.  These  expenditures  are 
constantly  recurring  and  bear  a  fairly  well  established  relation  to  the  increase  of  the 
city's  population. 

Second. — That  the  rate  of  taxation  on  the  increase  in  assessed  land  value  be 
progressive  and  not  a  flat  5  per  cent  as  suggested  by  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee 
because  it  is  not  fair  to  tax  a  small  and  normal  increase  at  as  high  a  rate  as  a  large 
increase  within  the  same  period.  This  tax  should  be  levied  moreover  annually  on  the 
increased  assessed  land  value,  though  the  owners  should  be  permitted  to  pay  it  in  two 
or  three  installments  if  they  so  desire. 

It  is  suggested  that  the  tax  on  increase  in  assessed  land  values  be  as  follows : 

Per  cent. 

On  any  increase  under  21  per  cent 3 

On  any  increase  between  21   and  40  per  cent.,  inclusive 5 

On  the  increase  between  40  and  60  per  cent.,  inclusive 8 

On  the  increase  between  60  and  80  per  cent.,  inclusive 11 

On  the  increase  between  80  and  100  per  cent.,  inclusive 15 

On  the  increase  over  100  per  cent 20 

Such  a  tax  will  be  juster  than  a  5  per  cent,  flat  tax  and  yield  a  much  larger  in- 
come. 

Third. — That  the  tax  rate  for  each  year  be  increased  to  raise  the  sum  the  city 
needs  to  adopt  the  policy  suggested  in  paragraph  (1),  since  this  can  practically  be 
done  with  the  additional  land  increment  tax  without  any  constitutional  amendment, 
since  the  $2.00  limit  on  the  tax  rate  does  not  include  debt  service  and  would  hence 
release  about  $50,000,000.00. 

Fourth. — That  the  true  price  paid  be  required  to  be  registered  so  that  the  taxing 
officials  may  have  definite  information  upon  which  to  base  their  assessment. 

Statements  Submitted  to  the  Committee  on  Taxation. 

A.     Statement   by   Professor  E.   R.   A.   Seligman    of   Columbia    University. 

In  a  general  way,  I  should  say,  that  so  far  as  the  question  of  congestion  is  con- 
cerned, the  influence  of  taxation  I  think  has  been  considerably  overestimated.  I 
mean  by  that  the  policies  or  practical  changes  that  might  be  made  in  our  American 
systems.  It  is  a  different  thing  if  we  were  to  treat  it  de  novo.  I  think  there  are 
many  more  important  factors  than  taxation,  but  so  far  as  the  tax  problem  itself  is 
concerned  I  imagine  that  your  query  centres  around  the  point  whether  improvements 
ought  to  be  exempted  or  not  or  whether  there  ought  to  be  a  special  tax  levied  upon 
the  unearned  increment.  Many  of  the  points  you  suggest,  Mr.  Chairman,  have  only 
a  very  indirect  relation  to  congestion.  They  may  be  important  from  the  point  of 
view  of  securing  more  revenue,  which  then  may  be  utilized  in  the  wiser  expenditure 
of  the  revenue  for  the  benefit  of  the  people.  But  the  question  of  the  inheritance  tax 
for  instance  is  in  itself  entirely  apart  from  the  question  of  congestion.  I  do  not 
think  the  inheritance  tav  has  anything  to  do,  as  such,  with  congestion,  nor  do  T  think 
that  a  graduated  inheritance  or  habitation  tax  or  o(?cupdiicy  tax,  however  good  sub- 
stitute for  the  personal  property  tax  it  may  be,  has  anything  to  do  with  congestion. 
They  are  interesting  questions  which  might  be  discussed  from  the  point  of  view  of 
the  advisability  of  making  changes  in  our  revenue  system,  but  I  do  not  see  that  they 
are  at  all  germane  to  the  question  of  congestion. 

Chairman  :     But  suppose,  as  a  result  of  the  adoption  of  the  grant  to  the  city  of 


145 

one-half  the  money,  or  tax.  the  real  property  might  pay  by  so  much,  would  that  have 
any  effect  in  reducing  rents,  etc.? 

Mr.  Seligman :  As  to  what  are  the  results  of  the  present  real  estate  tax  it  is  in 
the  main  a  tax  on  land  space  and  tax  on  houses.  Now  in  those  quarters  of  the  city 
where  congestion  is  to  be  feared  and,  I  presume,  by  congestion  we  mean  congestion 
of  living  apartments  and  of  tenement  houses,  in  those  quarters  of  the  city  where 
congestion  is  to  be  feared  the  land  values  are  relatively  less  than  they  are  in  the 
busmess  sections,  as  in  the  Wall  Stret  section,  etc.  You  have,  of  course,  the  slums 
wher.;  land  values  are  in  some  cases  slightly  higher  than  the  value  of  the  buildings, 
but  in  the  great  mass  of  the  sites  occupied  for  dwelling  purposes  you  will  find  the 
reverse  to  be  the  case.  If  that  is  so.  why  then  of  course  a  tax  on  real  estate,  the 
major  portion  of  the  value  of  which  is  on  the  house  rather  than  on  the  value  of  the 
land,  would  be  shifted  to  the  tenant  and  will  take  the  form  of  higher  rent.  The' 
diminution  of  the  tax  would  therefore  mean  a  lessening  of  the  rent.  Here  again, 
however.  I  think  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  question  of  taxation  is  only  of 
minor  consequence  in  this  whole  question  of  congestion.  Rents  are  comparatively 
high  in  New  York  because  the  land  values  are  high,  and  land  values  are  high  not 
because  taxes  are  high  but  because  the  land  is  valuable  for  business  purposes.  If 
there  were  no  tax  at  all  the  superiority  of  New  York  real  estate  for  the  purpose  of 
business  would  still  be  so  marked  that  land  values  would  be  very  much  higher  than 
they  would  be  in  smaller  towns.  Therefore  I  say  that  this  whole  question  of  the 
influence  of  the  rate  of  the  real  estate  tax  upon  congestion  seems  to  me  to  be  not 
so  important,  for  instance,  as  the  far  more  fundamental  problem  of  transportation, 
or  other  points  that  might  be  mentioned. 

Mr.  Chairman:  Would  you  feel  that  the  division  of  the  present  tax  on  real  es- 
tate in  such  a  way  that  the  rate  on  the  building  was  twice  as  much  as  the  land  would 
have  the  effect  of  reducing  the  congestion  in  any  way? 

Prof.  Seligman  :  Of  course  anything  that  would  tend  to  decrease  the  capitalized 
value  of  the  land  would  tend  so  far,  at  all  events,  to  reduce  congestion.  If  you  could 
arrange  the  sj^stem  of  taxation  in  a  way  that  is  not  possible  under  present  constitu- 
tional methods,  i.  e.,  if  you  divide  the  city  up  into  districts  and  put  different  rates 
upon  different  districts,  then  you  could  to  that  extent  diminish  the  value  of  real  es- 
tate of  some  districts  and  of  course  increase  it  in  others. 

Mr.  Chairman :  But  it  is  claimed  here  that  by  an  increase  in  the  rate  upon  the 
land  and  decrease  in  the  rate  upon  the  building  that  there  would  be  a  premium  given 
to  people  who  own  land  to  build  inasmuch  as  they  would  not  have  to  pay  so  much 
for  the  building  as  on  the  land,  therefore  there  would  be  more  buildings  on  the 
market. 

Prof.  Seligman :  From  the  abstract  point  of  view,  I  think  there  is  something  to 
be  said  for  that  point.  But  when  we  come  to  consider  actually  the  results  of  the 
exemption  of  improvements  as  in  the  Australasian  cities,  we  find  a  rather  curious  fact. 
The  English  Government  published  a  blue  book  some  years  ago  on  the  experience  of 
every  cit}'  of  Australasia  on  that  point.  A  law  had  been  passed  permitting  localities 
to  exempt,  for  certain  purposes  of  local  taxation,  improvements  from  taxation.  Now 
some  of  the  cities  availed  themselves  of  that  and  some  refused  to  avail  themselves 
of  that.  Of  the  cities  that  availed  themselves  of  it,  the  greater  majority  reported 
no  change  at  all  worth  mentioning  in  the  general  conditions.  Of  course,  it  must  be 
said  that  in  any  consideration  of  a  problem  like  this  we  must  remember  that  a  great 
many  things  go  on  at  the  same  time  that  are  likely  to  affect  the  ultim.ate  results.  A 
change  of  taxation  may  go  on  concomitantly  with  a  change  in  business  prosperity.  It 
may  go  on  at  the  same  time  in  the  change  of  railway  rates,  etc.  So  you  cannot  regard 
an  economic  problem  as  you  can  a  physical  problem  and  say  that  precise  results  follow 
certain  causes.  It  was  found  that  in  some  cities  some  vacant  spaces  previously  un- 
occupied were  then  built  up  and  that  this  increased  the  general  prosperity  of  the  city 
and  gave  an  impetus  to  the  building  operations,  etc.  In  other  towns,  however,  where 
one  would  think  precisely  the  same  results  would  ensue,  as  far  as  we  can  learn  no 
difference  was  reported.  It  must  be  stated,  however,  in  defense  of  the  claim  that 
exemption  of  improvements  is  desirable  so  far  as  I  know  no  town  or  city  which 
has  gone  over  to  the  exemption  of  improvements  has  receded  from  that  position. 

Mr.  Chairman:     Was  that  method  adopted  in  any  city  of  considerable  size? 

Prof.  Seligman :  In  a  few  cities  in  New  Zealand  and  New  South  Wales,  but  not 
in  the  largest  cities.  Further,  of  course,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  importance 
of  this  movement  is  minimized  by  the  fact  that  it  is  not  true,  as  is  often  stated  in 
this  country,  that  this  exemption  is  applied  to  all  local  taxation.  It  is  applied  only 
to  certain  "poor"  rates  and  other  changes  which  would  be  included  in  our  local  taxes- 
such  as  after  the  fire  department,  lighting,  etc.,  are  excluded.     In  New  Zealand  and 


146 

in  almost  all  of  the  Australian  states,  they  have  a  state  tax  on  the  pure  land  value. 
They  supplement  them  by  the  other  taxes.  The  exemption  does  not  apply  to  the  whole 
range  of  local  taxes,  but  only  to  a  part  of  the  local  taxes,  and,  secondly,  the  con- 
clusions arrived  at  are  various.  You  cannot  say  there  is  clear  cut  evidence  as  to 
beneficial  results  following.  In  fact,  a  distinguished  English  economist  who  perhaps 
might  be  accused  of  a  little  prejudice  in  the  matter  because  he  did  not  believe  in 
it,  has  written  an  article  seeking  to  prove  that  the  results  were  distinctly  unfavorable 
to  the  contentions.  I  think,  however,  there  is  not  enough  experience  to  warrant  us 
to  form  any  conclusion  in  the  matter  at  all  further  than  the  one  I  started  out  with, 
that  the  whole  question,  the  influence  of  exemption  of  taxes  on  improvements  under 
existing  conditions  in  America  or  Australia  is  as  yet  of  minor  importance  as  com- 
pared with  the  other  far  mightier  factors  in  the  problem. 

I  do  believe  that  if  you  were  to  have  such  a  system  as  the  tax  on  the  unearned 
increment,  secure  a  large  revenue  from  that  and  with  that  revenue  institute  certain 
proceedings  which  would  make  the  suburbs  far  more  attractive  to  the  citizen,  you 
would  indirectly  or  perhaps  directly  accomplish  great  results.  For  instance,  in  some 
of  the  German  towns  the\'  utilize  for  the  cities  large  sums  secured  in  the  main  from 
their  insurance  funds  and  the  unearned  increment  tax.  for  the  building  of  model 
tenement  houses,  for  the  improvement  of  the  suburban  section  and  for  the  develop- 
ment of  transportation  facilities.  Those,  it  seems  to  me,  are  the  important  points  to 
be  considered.  How  can  you  make  it  possible  for  people  now  living  in  the  slums 
to  live  in  places  where  land  values  are  much  less  and  at  the  same  time  attend  to 
their  ordinary  vocations  in  life? 

Mr.  Chairman  :  Was  the  raising  or  the  expenditure  of  the  money  to  have  the 
eflfect  you  speak  of? 

Prof.  Seligman  :  The  expenditure  would  not  have  been  made  but  for  the  in- 
creased revenues  which  were  designed  to  aflford  the  means  for  this  increased  ex- 
penditure. The  tax  on  the  unearned  increment  in  the  German  cities  has  been  too 
recent  and  too  slight  to  warrant  any  general  conclusion,  but  it  is  expected  and  on 
general  principles  it  would  be  expected  that  a  tax  on  unearned  increment  would  to 
that  extent  diminish  the  selling  value  of  the  land.  Now  a  yearly  tax  of  say  10  per  cent, 
or  20  per  cent,  or  even  more  on  unearned  increment  would  of  course  prevent  the 
appreciation  to  that  extent  of  the  value  of  the  land  and  would  therefore  prevent  any 
further  congestion. 

As  regards  speculation,  the  experiments  have  been  in  operation  in  German  cities 
for  over  two  years  and  in  some  instances  five  years.  It  is  assumed  by  pretty  nearly 
all  the  investigators  of  the  problem  that  speculation  will  be  diminished.  As  to  whether 
it  has  been  diminished,  I  think  it  has  been  too  soon  to  say,  but  on  general  principles 
I  should  imagine  that  would  be  the  result.  Entirely  apart,  however,  from  speculation, 
the  tendency  of  a  tax  on  unearned  increment  will  be  to  prevent  as  high  a  rise  in 
land  values  as  would  otherwise  take  place. 

Mr.  Chairman :  Is  this  tax  in  German  cities  levied  occasionally  or  on  the  occa- 
sion of  a  sale? 

Prof.  Seligman :  On  the  occasion  of  a  sale,  but  the  period  differs.  Sometimes 
a  short  time  elapses  and  sometimes  a  long  period.  When,  therefore,  I  said  a  little 
while  ago  that  the  influence  of  taxation  is  very  slight  compared  to  the  other  factors. 
I  was  referring,  of  course,  to  our  present  modes  of  taxation.  I  do  believe  that  if 
by  a  system  of  increment  taxes  you  can  take  for  the  municipality  or  government 
what  would  otherwise  go  into  the  pockets  of  the  owner  and  thus  be  capitalized  in 
the  selling  value  of  the  land,  of  course  the  value  of  the  land  will  be  prevented  from 
rising  to  that  extent.  It  would  diminish  the  increasing  land  values  by  a  definite  per- 
centage and  would  pro  tanto  diminish  the  congestion. 

Suppose  I  go  down  to  Wall  Street  and  buy  a  5  per  cent,  bond  which  sells  for  par. 
Now  suppose  the  city  or  the  state  imposes  upon  a  certain  kind  of  railway  bonds  a  tax 
of  1  per  cent,  every  year  and  you  know  it  is  a  permanent  tax  and  that  it  is  going 
to  be  levied.  Now  if  I  buy  that  particular  railroad  bond,  I  of  course  would  pay  in- 
side of  $100  for  it,  probably  $80  for  it.  The  value  of  that  bond  will  fall.  Now,  if  a 
piece  of  land  goes  up  in  value  and  sells  at  an  increased  price,  it  sells  at  an  increased 
price  because  people  can  get  a  certain  income  from  it  every  year.  It  is  simply  a  cap- 
italized value  of  the  land.  If  a  tax  is  imposed  every  three,  five  or  ten  years,  as  long 
as  it  is  a  permanent  tax  and  if  the  owner  calculates  his  income  from  the  land  and 
ascertains  that  his  income  from  that  investment  is  going  to  be  so  much  less  than  it 
would  otherwise  be,  why  naturally  when  he  buys  a  piece  of  land  predicting  the  annual 
normal  gradual  rise  which  he  can  or  will  get  he  will  pay  so  much  less  for  it. 

Mr.  Pleydell :     This  is  then  in  the  nature  of  our  annual  tax,  but  computed  a 


147 

little  different?    This  tax  is  simply  an  increase  in  assessment.    Is  that  the  economical 
effect,  not  taking  a  lump  sum  out  of  the  purchase  price? 

Prof.  Seligman :  Yes,  it  would  be  a  rent  charge  and  unless  you  could  estimate  it 
approximately  in  the  future,  of  course,  it  would  not  have  that  effect.  It  is  very 
different  from  the  British  increment  tax. 

Mr.  Marsh  :  You  speak  of  these  other  forms  of  taxation  not  having  any  rela- 
tion to  the  question  of  congestion,  except  indirectly.  How  about  one-third  of  our 
taxation  goes  to  pay  debt  service.  Suppose  we  could  raise  ten,  fifteen  or  twenty 
million  additional  a  year,  would  it  not  have  as  direct  an  effect  as  an  increment  tax? 

Prof.  Seligman :  It  seems  to  me  this  ought  to  be  kept  separate.  This  question 
of  the  citj^  budget  is  different.  I  happen  to  be  connected  with  the  Bureau  of  Municipal 
Research  and  for  the  present  we  are  centering  our  efforts  on  the  first  method,  which 
we  think  more  important,  viz.,  that  all  the  movement  in  American  cities  ought  to  be 
directed  temporarily  to  make  expenditures  effective,  not  to  increase  the  taxes.  But 
assuming  you  have  reached  the  limit  in  your  economy  and  then  not  being  able  to 
do  all  the  things  for  social  improvement  desired  by' the  city,  it  ma}!-  be  desirable  to 
increase  your  revenues,  the  question  is  further  complicated  by  the  fact  that  in  this 
city  an  increase  in  revenue  or  a  change  in  the  source  of  revenue  is  also  to  be  recom- 
mended from  the  general  point  of  view.  Our  system  of  taxation  is  not  satisfactory, 
therefore  I  think  without  touching  upon  the  question  as  to  whether  we  have  reached 
the  limit  of  securing  efficiency  in  economy  in  expenditures  it  is  perfectly  proper  to 
consider  whether  vje  have  not  come  to  the  point  where  more  revenues  or  better 
kinds  of  revenue  are  not  to  be  desired.  I  agree  with  you  thoroughly  that  certain 
new  forms  of  revenues  are  desirable  in  the  American  communities  and  especially  in 
New  York  I  do  not  think  that  I  should  put  the  municipal  death  duties,  the  inheritance 
tax,  in  that  category  because  we  cannot  consider  the  local  fiscal  problem  apart  from 
the  state  problem  and  we  have  these  at  Albany  as  in  New  York  and  we  need  all  the 
inheritance  tax  to  be  obtained.  They  would  look  much  askance  at  giving  up  any  part 
of  the  inheritance  tax  for  local  purposes.  But  on  the  other  hand,  the  other  point 
you  raise,  the  matter  of  the  habitation  tax,  there  we  reach  a  point  where  I  think  the 
experience  of  Canadian  cities  and  other  cities  can  stand  us  in  good  stead.  The  occu- 
pation tax.  I  think,  would  be  a  very  desirable  addition  to  our  municipal  revenue  sys- 
tem if  carefully  worked  out  so  as  to  avoid  certain  obvious  dangers  and  difficulties 
and  could  be  made  not  onh'  to  serve  as  a  substitute  for  the  remnants  of  the  personal 
property  tax  as  we  now  have  it,  but  also  to  yield,  as  in  Paris  and  other  continental 
cities,  additional  revenue.  I  may  add  that  on  that  point,  in  some  of  the  European  cities 
the  function  of  the  tax  was  to  get  rid  of  other  objectionable  taxes.  That  is  a  prob- 
lem with  reference  to  the  best  methods  of  raising  a  revenue.  In  connection  with  the 
tax  on  unearned  increment  one  must  be  a  little  careful  in  putting  a  tax  on  unearned 
increment  in  addition  to  the  annual  tax  on  real  estate  or  on  land.  If  the  tax  on  un- 
earned increment  will  prevent  to  that  extent  any  increase  in  the  land  values,  you  would 
to  that  extent  also  be  diminishing  the  annual  revenue  which  you  would  get  from  the 
real  estate  tax.  Especially  if  you  exempt  improvements,  the  burden  of  the  real  estate 
tax  would  then  fall  upon  land  at  a  certain  assessed  valuation.  Now  if  through  this 
fact  of  putting  more  tax  upon  land  as  an  annual  tax  the  very  fact  of  putting  taxes 
on  the  unearned  increment  would  decrease  the  value  of  the  land,  therefore  cutting 
off  your  own  income'.  That  must  be  borne  in  mind  as  a  disadvantage.  If,  however, 
you  supplemented  your  real  estate  tax  by  a  tax  on  occupancy  or  in  parts  of  that  kind, 
you  could  then  perhaps  more  than  compensate  for  this. 

Mr.  Marsh:  Would  not  reducing  the  tax  rate  more,  than  half  the  ordinary  tax 
rate  tend  to  reduce  congestion? 

Prof.  Seligman :  It  would  have  that  tendency.  A  tax  upon  anything  produced 
tends  to  check  the  production  of  that  thing.  The  remission  of  the  taxes  tends  to 
encourage  the  production.  The  house  is  produced  for  what  you  can  get  out  of  it, 
and  if  you  make  it  worth  while  for  people  to  put  money  into  houses,  of  course  they 
will  do  so.  I  think  a  very  important  point  to  be  considered  is,  whereas  it  might  strike 
some  people  at  first  as  not  to  be  recommended  and  whereas  it  may  strike  other  people 
as  a  matter  of  very  slight  importance  one  way  or  the  other,  it  is  significant  that 
wherever  exemption  has  been  tried  it  has  not  been  abandoned.  Of  course  the  Cana- 
dian system  is  different  from  ours  in  that  many  of  the  cities  do  not  tax  personal  prop- 
erty at  all. 

I  must  confess,  Mr.  Chairman,  that  while  I  have  tried  the  last  few  years  to  get 
definite  results  of  the  Canadian  experience  both  from  conversation  and  from  corre- 
spondence, thus  far  I  do  not  think  it  is  in  any  tangible  enough  form  to  teach  us  much. 

Mr.  Pleydell :  In  Alberta  they  are  applying  for  privileges  as  given  in  other  cities, 
as  in  Toronto.     They  have  gone  in  and  applied  for  permission  to  do  those  things 


148 

and  can  revoke  it  by  act  of  the  Council,  but  does  it  not  require  change  in  the  finan- 
cial law? 

*-,  r.^^-  Chairman  :     It  has  been  suggested  that  a  general  exemption  be  tried  here  for 
?3,0(X).     What  do  you  think  of  that? 

Prof.  Seligman  :  I  should  think  pro  tanto  that  it  would  work  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, which  would  tend  to  encourage  the  building  of  little  houses  in  the  suburbs.  But 
the  matter  is  camplicated  by  the  fact  that  Mr.  Pleydell  has  brought  out,  namely,  that 
to  the  extent  that  you  encourage  building  on  vacant  lands,  other  things  being  equal, 
you  increase  the  value  of  that  land. 

B.  Statement  by  Mr.  Frederic  C.  Howe,  formerly  real  estate  appraiser  of  the 
City  of  Cleveland. 

The  Board  of  Realty  Appraisers,  of  which  I  was  a  member,  had  decided  to  value 
all  property  at  its  true  value  in  money  and  had  made  a  scientific  assessment  of  the 
real  estate  of  the  city  on  this  basis.  The  Board  found  that  land  values  in  the  city 
had  increased  $177,COO,COO  in  ten  years'  time,  while  population  had  increased  bv  175.0CO. 
In  other  words,  every  person  added  to  the  population  had  added  something  over  $1,000 
to  the  value  of  the  land. 

The  board  decided  to  allow  very  generously  for  depreciation  in  assessing  im- 
provements. It  therefore  depreciated  houses  and  buildings  according  to  age,  accord- 
ing to  location  and  according  to  use.  This  was  very  generally  approved  by  business 
men,  who  held  that  it  was  unwise  to  penalize  the  home,  the  factory  or  owner  of  an 
office  building  who  improved  the  city  when  by  so  doing  the  land  speculator  was  en- 
couraged to  hold  land  out  of  use. 

I  advocate  the  halving  of  the  tax  on  improvements  in  harmony  with  the  plan 
being  adopted  by  so  many  cities  of  western  Canada,  where  the  tax  on  improvements 
had  either  been  cut  in  two  or  abandoned  altogether.  In  Vancouver  the  tax  was  first 
cut  in  two,  and  the  results  were  so  satisfactory  and  the  stimulus  to  the  growth  of 
the  city  so  great  that  the  tax  on  improvements  was  abandoned  altogether.  This  was 
followed  by  a  doubling  in  the  amount  of  buildings,  a  cutting  up  of  large  estates  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  city,  a  great  improvement  in  wages  and  working  conditions 
and  a  generally  stimulating  effect  on  the  whole  community.  This  change  has  also 
been  adopted  in  a  large  number  of  other  communities. 

The  cities  of  Australasia  have  been  taxing  only  land  values  for  local  purposes  for 
years  and  the  reports  of  the  officials  are  all  to  the  same  effect.  No  city  that  adopted 
the  change  ever  went  back  to  the  old  system. 

I  spent  five  months  in  Germany  studying  the  land  question  and  city  planning  and 
found  practical  unanimity  among  city  officials  as  to  the  necessity  of  the  city  con- 
trolling the  land.  Nearly  every  one  of  the  large  cities  have  adopted  the  land  incre- 
ment tax,  or  tax  on  speculative  profits.  The  rate  runs  from  1  to  ZZ  per  cent,  depend- 
ing on  the  profit  realized  and  the  time  in  which  it  has  been  made.  Vacant  land  is 
taxed  more  heavily  than  improved  land,  and  in  some  cities  workingmen's  dwellings 
are  exempt  from  taxation  altogether. 

The  suggestion  that  improvements  be  taxed  at  half  the  rate  of  land  is  a  much 
more  eflficient  method  of  reaching  land  values,  and  of  stimulating  the  use  of  land  for 
building  onrooses  than  the  German  system.  It  is  easily  adopted  in  this  country  where 
land  is  valued  at  its  capital  value;  i«:  does  substantial  justice  to  all  and  has  the  ad- 
ditional eff^ect  of  forcing  men  to  make  use  of  land  for  some  purpose  or  other  in  order 
to  pay  the  tax  imposed. 

C.  Statement  by  Hon.  Edgar  J.  Levey,  President  of  the  Title  Insurance  Com-* 
pany  of  New  York. 

Mr.  Levey  discussed  generally  the  eff'ect  of  different  methods  of  taxation  upon 
congestion  of  population.  He  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  effect  of  a  super  tax 
upon  unearned  increment  was  very  difficult  to  forecast,  on  account  of  the  conflicting 
tendencies  which  it  would  create.  On  the  one  ha.nd,  by  rendering  it  more  difficult 
for  speculators  to  deal  in  vacant  land  and  to  hold  unoccupied  tracts  out  of  the  market, 
it  would  tend  to  have  the  eflFect  generally  claimed  by  single  taxers,  of  cheapening 
ground  values  and  thus  enabling  speculative  builders  to  improve  and  turn  out  the 
finished  article  at  a  lower  cost  price.  On  the  other  hand,  by  rendering  ownership  of 
real  estate — already  suffering  from  many  burdens — still  more  unpopular,  it  would 
tend  to  decrease  the  amount  of  capital  willing  to  invest  in  real  estate  and  thus  make 
mortgage  loans  and  especially  building  loans,  more  onerous.  It  was  the  exception, 
he  said,  where  new  buildings  are  constructed  by  the  owners  of  vacant  property.  The 
business  of  constructing  new  buildings  is  principally  in  the  hands  of  speculative 
builders  who  are  active  in  a  business  quite  as  legitimate  as  any  other  business.  They 
go  into  new  enterprises  because,  after  counting  up  all  the  cost,  they  find  they  can 
make  a  profit — if  there  is  not  a  profit  they  will  not  build — and  any  legislation  which 


149 

artificially  makesit  more  difficult  for  them  to  pursue  their  business  has  a  direct 
tendency  to  restrict  development  and  increase  rents. 

Mr.  Robinson  asked:  "Have  you  ever  found  that  constructinp;  a  building  higher 
than  the  surrounding  buildings  has  increased  the  value  of  real  estate  in  the  neigh- 
borhood?" 

Mr.  Levey  replied  that  it  sometimes  had  that  effect,  because  it  was  an  indication 
that  property  in  that  neighborhood  was  available  for  uses  more  important  than  those 
to  which  such  property  had  previously  been  put.  On  the  other  hand,  it  sometimes 
had  the  effect,  temporarily  at  least,  of  depressing  real  estate  values  by  affording  a  sur- 
plus of  rentable  space. 

Mr.  Robinson  asked  whether  most  of  the  Fourth  Avenue  loft  buildings  have  been 
constructed  ahead  of  the  demand. 

Mr.  Levey  replied  that  the  Fourth  Avenue  movement  was  a  striking  instance  of 
the  effect  to  which  he  had  just  referred.  It  had  increased  land  values  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Fourth  Avenue,  but  it  had  decreased  them  in  other  sections ;  as,  for  ex- 
ample, Broadway,  south  of  Fourteenth  Street,  and  the  district  lying  to  the  west 
thereof,  as,  for  example,  Wooster  Street.  This  was  due  to  the  fact  that  the  new 
Fourth  Avenue  buildings  were  drawing  tenants  away  from  the  older  buildings. 

Mr.  Cantor  inquired :  "Can  you  suggest  any  forms  of  taxation  that  would  remedy 
the  evil  of  congestion  ?" 

Mr.  Levey:  Is  it  not  going  too  far  to  assume  that  congestion  is  an  evil?  Is 
not  congestion  in  itself  rather  a  mark  of  progress  and  civilization?  Districts  that 
are  least  congested  are  most  savage  and  undeveloped.  Not  to  go  outside  of  the 
possessions  of  the  United  States,  Alaska  is  quite  free  from  congestion,  while  New 
York  City  stands  at  the  other  extreme.  The  drift  toward  the  cities  is  a  mark  of 
modern  progress  and  is,  perhaps,  less  to  be  deplored  than  some  people  think.  Among 
great  cities,  it  is  generally  true  that  the  greater  the  congestion,  the  greater  the  city. 
It  is  undoubtedly  true,  of  course,  that  congestion  brings  in  its  train  certain  evils  which 
need  to  be  controlled,  as  they  have  been  in  large  part  controlled  by  our  tenement 
house  laws,  but  there  are  few  phases  of  civilization  which  have  not  attendant  evils, 
and  to  destroy  congestion  would  be  almost  equivalent  to  destroying  our  cities  in  all 
that  now  makes  them  great.  To  amplify  my  meaning,  let  us  take,  for  example,  the 
business  districts  of  New  York.  The  financial  district  is  located  within  a  very  small 
area,  where  land  values  are  very  high.  People  do  their  work  in  office  buildings 
twenty  stories  high  and  upwards,  because  they  do  this,  business  is  conducted  efficiently 
and  economically.  It  would  be  less  efficient  and  less  economical  if  the  financial  district 
were  dispersed  over  the  city,  so  that  people  in  order  to  meet  one  another,  would 
have  to  traverse  long  distances.  In  like  manner,  each  trade  is  apt  to  huddle  together 
in  one  center  in  as  concentrated  a  manner  as  possible,  the  dry  goods  trade  in  one 
district,  the  machinery  trade  in  another,  the  leather  trade  in  another,  and  so  on.  Busi- 
ness people  do  this  because  it  is  to  their  advantage  to  do  so.  When  we  come  td 
the  tenement  districts  we  find  that  they  are  congested  for  a  somewhat  analogous  rea- 
son. The  people  living  in  the  crowded  East  Side  districts  live  there  because  they  have 
certain  advantages  which  they  would  not  get  in  the  suburban  districts,  and  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  they  might  get  cheaper  rents.  They  are  happier  where  they  are  and 
in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  that  have  been  made  to  induce  the  tenement  dwellers  of 
the  East  Side  to  migrate  into  new  settlements  these  attempts  have  met  with 
comparatively  little  success.  Where  so  many  inhabitants  are  found,  there  is  of  course 
a  great  deal  of  poverty  and  suffering  also  to  be  found,  but  I  deny  that  the  people  of 
the  East  Side,  generally  speaking,  are  so  badly  off  in  their  housing  accommodations 
and  so  much  to  be  pitied  as  many  sentimentalists  declare.  The  conditions  on  the 
East  Side  are  not  what  the  amateur  charitably-disposed  daughter  of  a  rnillionaire  on 
Fifth  Avenue  thinks  they  are,  or  what  the  casual  reader  of  a  muckraking  magazine 
imagines  they  should  be.  The  people  in  this  district  are,  generally  speaking,  so  well 
satisfied  with  their  habitat  that  they  resist  expatriation.  A  great  work  was  done  in 
the  improvement  of  tenement  house  building  by  our  tenement  house  laws.  Much 
still  remains  to  be  done  so  that  conditions — especially  as  affecting  the  old  law  tene- 
ments— may  be  still  further  improved.  But  even  while  admitting  themany  advan- 
tages which  country  life  has  over  city  life,  I  think  it  may  well  be_  questioned  whether 
the  life  led  by  the  typical  farmer  in  the  country  is  more  conducive  to  good  hygiene 
than  that  lived  by  the  tenement  dweller.  The  tenement  dweller— even  the  poorest— 
is  at  least  secure  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather.  He  can  draw  hot  water  from 
the  tap,  instead  of  having  to  tramp  several  hundred  feet  through  the  snow  to  get  a 
bucket  of  ice  cold  water  from  the  well.  He  has  means  of  cleanliness  which  the 
farmer  has  not  in  the  winter.  He  gets  much  more  fresh  air  than  the  farmer,  whose 
habit,  not  uncommonly,  in  the  wintertime  is  to  drive  nails  through  the  window  sash. 


150 

Mr.  Levey  was  asked  whether  the  statistics  did  not  prove  that  the  death  rate 
in  New  York  City  from  tuberculosis  exceeded  the  death  rate  of  the  rest  of  the  State, 
and  whether  this  discrepancy  was  due  to  overcrowding  in  the  city. 

Mr.  Levey  replied  that  he  thought  comparative  statistics  between  New  York  City 
and  the  rural  parts  of  the  State  should  be  carefully  scrutinized,  because  in  the  one 
case  we  had  adequate  inspection,  whereas  in  the  other  the  collection  of  statistical  data 
was  notoriously  imperfect. 

Reference  was  made  to  certain  testimony  produced  before  the  Committee,  show- 
ing instances  of  lamentable  morals  on  the  part  of  tenement  house  dwellers. 

Mr.  I-cvey  stated  that  the  horrible  state  of  facts  alluded  to  constituted  exceptional 
cases,  rather  than  typical  cases,  and  furthermore  stated  that  in  the  mountainous  and 
wholly  uncongested  districts  of  Virginia,  West  Virginia,  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and 
North  Carolina,  the  very  same  crimes  were  so  prevalent  as  to  be  typical,  rather  than 
exceptional. 

Professor  Goodnow  asked  what  governmental  action  could  be  suggested  which 
should  have  the  effect  of  distributing  the  population. 

Mr.  Levey  replied  that  while  better  transit  facilities  would  undoubtedly  play  a 
large  part  in  such  a  result,  still  more  was  to  be  hoped  for  in  encouraging  the  location 
of  manufacturing  centers  (which  are  subject  to  entirely  different  rules  from  those 
of  commercial  or  mercantile  enterprises)  away  from  the  Borough  of  Manhattan,  be- 
cause by  doing  so  the  working  population  would  of  its  own  accord  follow  the  fac- 
tories for  reasons  both  of  convenience  and  of  economy,  as  for  example,  in  the  sav- 
ing of  transportation  fares. 

Mr.  Robinson  asked  whether  if  a  city  were  divided  into  two  imaginary  zones 
and  public  improvements  constructed  in  one  zone  and  none  in  the  other,  the  effect 
would  not  be  that  the  population  would  desert  the  unimproved  zone  and  move  into 
the  improved  zone,  so  that  while  real  estate  valu'^s  enhanced  in  the  one,  they  would 
diminish  in  the  other. 

Mr.  Levey  replied  that  this  would  be  so,  and,  continuing,  said  that  this  illus- 
trated the  injustice  of  a  tax,  progressive  or  otherwise,  on  unearned  increment.  He 
asked  Mr.  Cantor  to  imagine  the  latter  having  purchased  at  the  same  time  two 
pieces  of  property,  each  for  $100,000;  one  in  Wooster  Street  and  one  on  Fourth 
Avenue.  The  development  of  the  Fourth  Avenue  loft  district  would  make  his  prop- 
erty there  worth  $140,000,  while  his  Wooster  Stret  property,  for  the  same  cause, 
would  depreciate  to  $60,000.  The  unearned  increment  tax  would  confiscate  a  part  of 
his  profit  on  the  Fourth  Avenue  transaction,  but  would  not  refund  to  him  any  part 
of  his  loss  on  the  Wooster  Street  purchase.  Under  these  circumstances,  would  not 
Mr.  Cantor  feel  that  if  the  State  were  to  be  a  partner  in  the  successful  speculation,  it 
should  likewise  be  a  partner  in  the  unsuccessful  speculation?  Mr.  Cantor  replied, 
"Yes,  he  would  feel  that  way."  Mr.  Levey,  continuing,  said  that  this  illustration  was 
far  from  being  as  absurd  as  it  might  seem  at  first  blush,  because  an  unearned  in- 
crement tax  is  in  no  proper  sense  a  tax  on  regular  income,  but  the  confiscation  of 
principal. 

Professor  Goodnow  stated  that  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  get  at  exact  justice, 
but  asked  whether  it  would  not  be  rough  justice  to  secure  by  assessment  part  of  the 
increase  in  assessed  land  value,  due  to  all  improvements  shown  by  increases  in  as- 
sessed land  values,  without  attempting  to  determine  just  how  much  has  been  derived 
from  specific  improvements  and  devoting  the  funds  derived  from  this  tax  to  perma- 
nent improvements,  schools,  parks,  transit,  etc. 

Mr.  Levey  replied  that  where  an  assessment  for  benefit  is  made,  it  should  be 
made  for  definite  benefit  to  the  particular  property  assessed,  that  he  was  a  believer 
in  the  principle  of  assessing  the  whole  or  a  part  of  the  cost  of  rapid  transit  improve- 
ments on  the  outlying  districts,  which  are  clearly  benefited  by  such  an  undertaking. 
But  he  doubted  the  wisdom  of  a  haphazard  collection  of  an  unearned  increment  tax 
for  the  purpose  of  supplying  funds  for  such  improvements  where  such  a  tax  was 
collected  from  districts  not  affected  by  such  an  improvement  and  which  might  owe 
their  enhancement  of  values  to  entirely  different  causes.  Mr.  Levey  stated  that  he 
did  not  favor  habitation  or  occupancy  tax,  but  would  regard  as  less  obnoxious  a  tax 
upon  the  tenants  of  business  property,  since  that  would  reach  people  who  live  in 
New  Jersey  and  pay  light  taxes  there,  while  transacting  business  in  New  York  City, 
where  they  enjoy  practically  all  the  benefits  of  its  expensive  government,  paying  no 
tax  to  the  New  York  City  government. 

Professor  Goodnow  asked  whether  a  tax  upon  business  property  would  be  a 
lien  upon  such  property. 

Mr.  Levey  replied  that  that  was  an  administrative  detail  and  might  possibly  be 


151 

necessary,  though  not  clearly  so,  because  people  engaged  in  business  were  usually 
responsible  and  the  tax  could  be  collected  from  them. 

Mr.  Levey  was  asked  with  reference  to  a  tax  upon  skyscrapers  or  buildings  of 
a  volume  in  excess  of  an  adopted  standard,  and  stated  that  the  limitation  of  the 
height  of  buildings  was,  in  his  judgment,  a  proper  exercise  of  the  police  power  of 
the  State  and  undoubtedly  should  be  carried  further  than  it  is  in  our  present  laws. 

Professor  Goodnow,  referring  to  the  statement  that  an  unearned  increment  tax 
differed  from  an  income  tax,  in  that  it  taxes  principal  instead  of  income,  stated  that 
the  income  tax  of  1894  provided  for  a  tax  upon  all  incomes  and  that  the  profits  from 
the  sale  of  land  and  other  property  were  regarded  as  income.  In  many  foreign  coun- 
tries the  income  tax  was  as  high  as  5  per  cent,  of  the  total  income. 

D.  Statemeut  by  Mr.  A.  C.  Pleydell,  Secretary  of  the  New  York  Tax  Reform 
Association. 

There  are  strong  arguments  presented  here  and  elsewhere  designed  to  show  that 
single  tax  as  advocated  by  Henry  George  would  result  in  avoiding  congestion.  We  can 
pass  that  temporarily.  That  is,  as  has  been  said,  a  counsel  of  perfection  from  the 
practical  view  point.  Apart  from  such  change  in  taxation,  that  would  be  rather  a 
moral  and  social  change  than  a  fiscal  change,  the  only  suggestions  made  to  relieve 
congestion  through  taxation  are  by  using  the  tax  power  for  the  purpose  of  regula- 
tion.    Primarily,  these  are  the  suggestions  being  made. 

I  wish  to  go  most  strongly  on  record  as  being  opposed  to  using  the  taxing  power 
for  purposes  of  regulation.  It  is  so  used  now  in  a  limited  number  of  cases,  mostly 
under  the  police  power,  the  most  shining  example,  being  the  licensing  of  liquor.  As 
far  as  it  is  used  to-day  under  the  police  power,  it  may  be  classed  among  the  neces- 
sary evils,  and  it  is  entirely  a  wrong  use  of  the  taxing  power.  The  taxing  power 
should  be  used  for  the  purpose  of  raising  public  revenue  only.  When  you  try  to  use 
taxation  for  regulation,  j-ou  complicate  both  the  tax  problem  and  the  problem  of 
regulation,  and,  what  is  still  more  important,  is  that  this  is  only  a  confession  of 
cowardice.  It  is  onlj'  proposed  when  people  are  afraid  to  meet  problems  squarely.  It 
is  so  much  easier  to  meet  evil  sidewise  under  the  plea  that  the  government  needs 
revenue  and  therefore  put  a  heavy  tax,  in  the  hope  that  the  evil  may  be  put  out  of 
existence.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  this  serves  the  purpose  of  making  the  evil  more 
secure.  I  think  some  of  the  propositions  to  cure  evils  of  congestion  by  taxation  will 
have  the  opposite  effect;  and  they  have  the  defect  of  not  meeting  the  problem  squarely. 
F"rom  the  counsel  of  perfection  suggested  here,  namely,  the  single  tax,  it  is  thought 
3^ou  can  destroy  land  speculation  so  congestion  would  automatically  relieve  itself. 
If  it  is  to  be  relieved  through  any  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  government  then  there 
would  be  no  need  of  special  treatment  of  the  problem.  Apart  from  such  a  radical 
measure  as  this,  I  do  not  believe  changes  in  taxation  will  materially  affect  conges- 
tion. It  could  be  done  by  increasing  the  transportation  facilities,  and  absolutely  lim- 
iting the  size  of  buildings  or  the  number  of  persons  occupying  space  and  through 
regulating  the  buildings  and  the  occupants,  heights,  etc..  in  other  words,  all  the  de- 
tails. Those  are  the  present  methods  to  relieve  congestion  rather  than  through  any 
immediate  change  in  taxation. 

As  to  the  tax  methods  proposed  on  the  list  before  us,  the  third  on  the  list — to 
help  relieve  congestion  by  securing  half  of  the  present  inheritance  tax  for  local  pur- 
poses— that  has  no  more  to  do  with  congestion  than  an  airship,  and  it  is  no  use  from 
a  practical  standpoint  in  wasting  any  time  in  trying  to  do  that.  The  first  reason  is 
that  the  state  needs  the  money.  The  second  reason  is  that  if  the  State  does  not  get 
the  money  from  the  inheritance  tax  it  will  get  it  from  some  other  source,  and  it  is 
almost  as  broad  as  it  is  long,  as  New  York  City  pays  into  the  treasury  from  the  in- 
heritance tax  just  about  its  share.  The  third  reason  and  a  more  theoretical  one,  is 
that  the  locality  has  no  right  to  take  the  money.  It  has  no  business  to  do  so  for 
one  very  practical  reason— that  j'ou  cannot  say  justly  that  if  half  the  inheritance  tax- 
is to  go  back  to  the  locality  in  which  a  man  dies,  this  should  be  confined  to  New  York 
City,  and  if  you  give  it  back  to  all  the  local  tax  districts,  even  half  of  it,  you  bring 
about  a  condition  where  there  is  at  times  a  very  excessive  revenue.  Suppose  that 
half  the  inheritance  tax  went  back  to  Orange  County,  where  Mr.  Harriman  died. 
Those  people  would  have  nothing  to  do  but  elect  themselves  to  office  and  spend  the 
money.  Absolutely  they  would  have  no  right  to  it — thej'  have  done  nothing  to  earn 
it.  But  apart  from  that,  the  only  justification  for  the  inheritance  tax  is  that  it  is 
imposed  for  the  privilege  of  inheriting  property,  and  the  privilege  of  inheriting  prop- 
erty is  one  of  the  great  powers  of  the  state  as  a  state  or  nation,  as  it  would  be  in 
Europe,  but  in  this  country  it  is  given  by  our  State  governments  which  govern  the 
laws  of  inheritance  or  inheriting  state  property. 


152 

Now  as  to  the  fourth  proposition,  the  tax  upon  skyscrapers,  upon  cubage,  to  have 
a  tax  upon  such  items  comes  under  taxation  by  regulation.  If  you  put  such  a  tax 
upon  all  skyscrapers,  or  cubage,  or  tax  buildings  so  as  to  prevent  building  to  more 
than  a  certain  height,  you  are  destroying  the  profit  from  the  upper  stories  of  present 
buildings;  but  if  you  do  not  put  a  tax  greater  than  the  maximum  profit,  people  would 
simply  build  even  higher  than  they  do  to-day.  I  see  no  relation  between  the  personal 
property  tax  and  congestion  as  such,  at  least,  that  would  apply  to  a  repeal  of  the 
personal  property  tax  in  the  City  of  New  York.  One  of  the  gentlemen  was  speaking 
of  the  effect  of  personal  property  tax.  T  know  of  a  manufacturer  near  here  who 
complained  to  the  local  assessors  for  enforcing  the  personal  property  tax,  and  said 
that  when  his  workmen  found  themselves  on  the  list  with  $200  or  $400  taxed  per- 
sonally they  moved  away,  rather  than  pay  this  and  the  poll  tax.  The  manufacturer 
wanted  the  assessor  to  forget  the  personal  tax  upon  his  workmen.  This  may  be 
helping  to  increase  congestion  in  New  York  City. 

As  to  the  exemption  of  buildings  conforming  to  certain  standards,  that  might 
have  some  advantage  to  commend  it  as  a  temporary  step  to  the  entire  exemption  of 
improvements  if  you  want  to  go  that  far.  I  think  it  would  be  an  exceedingly  difficult 
thing  to  get  it  through.  It  would  be  giving  quite  a  large  advantage  in  many  ways 
to  the  owners  of  these  buildings,  but  it  is  doubtful  as  to  how  far  tenants  would  profit 
from  such  a  step. 

The  owner  would  be  in  a  class  entirely  exempt  from  taxation  and  would  charge 
a  little  less  rent  perhaps,  but  he  would  not  give  the  profit  back  to  the  tenants,  and 
I  do  not  know  how  far  it  would  relieve  the  congestion  in  the  congested  districts. 
But  it  is  also  meeting  the  problem  a  little  by  using  taxation  in  connection  with  regu- 
lation, except  that  it  is  the  other  way  round,  encouraging  the  man  by  not  taxing  him. 

It  is  a  way  of  encouraging  the  builder  to  build  new  houses  where  there  are  now 
vacant  lots  and  it  would  therefore  tend  to  increase  the  demand  for  land  on  which 
to  erect  that  type  of  building.  The  tendency  is,  if  you  have  good  transportation  fa- 
cilities, to  increase  the  value  of  land  in  those  neighborhoods  adapted  to  the  type  of 
exempt  buildings,  all  of  which  brings  you  back  to  the  first  question  on  the  list  as  to 
a  higher  tax  on  land. 

I  was  rather  surprised  to  hear  the  advocates  of  single  tax  speak  in  the  same 
breath  of  taxing  the  unearned  increment  by  taxing  a  certain  amount  out  of  the  value 
of  land  at  the  lime  ot  sale.  All  attempts  to  deal  with  the  selling  values  of  land  in 
this  way  are  dealing  with  what  in  one  sense  is  a  legal  fiction.  The  only  reason  land 
has  value  at  all  is  that  you  can  get  a  certain  rental  out  of  it.  If  you  keep  people 
from  collecting  rents  you  destroy  values.  Now,  how  are  you  going  to  tax  the  un- 
earned increment  which  disappears  wherever  you  increase  a  tax  on  the  rental  value 
is  a  problem  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  understand.  It  is  interesting  to  see  how 
that  would  work  out.  A  man  pays  a  certain  amount  of  money  for  his  land  based 
upon  the  estimated  net  return,  but  if  he  is  deprived  of  a  certain  amount  of  his  net 
return  by  an  increase  in  the  annual  tax,  the  land  will  have  its  selling  value  reduced. 
The  intricacies  would  amuse  one.  And  if  you  add  a  .SO  per  cent,  tax  on  the  un- 
earned increment  to  the  total  tax  upon  the  annual  value  of  the  land  based  on  the 
selling  value  of  the  land,  in  a  lump  sum,  it  certainly  would  be  grinding  a  man  be- 
tween millstones.  Now,  on  the  line  of  this  first  question,  taxing  the  land  at  a  higher 
rate,  which  is  the  same  idea  as  a  lower  rate  on  improvements,  as  I  said  when  I  be- 
gan, that  is  a  step  toward  what  has  been  styled  a  "counsel  of  perfection."  It  is  a 
new  idea  in  this  country.  The  relief  this  would  give  to  congestion  is  of  course! 
problematical.  A  good  many  believe  it  would  materially  relieve  congestion.  I  think 
if  you  could  adopt  some  plan,  even  in  the  City  of  New  York,  of  placing  a  somewhat 
higher  rate  of  tax  upon  the  land,  even  if  such  a  system  was  not  adopted  in  the  other 
parts  of  the  state,  it  would  somewhat  help  to  relieve  the  congestion  problem.  I  do 
not  think  it  would  have  a  very  material  effect  until  you  carry  it  out  more  generally 
than  in  the  City  of  New  York,  for  the  reason  that  in  so  far  as  you  exempted  im- 
provements and  made  it  cheaper  to  build,  and  thereupon  get  rents  cheaper  and  thus 
increase  the  desirability  of  living  here,  you  would  bring  more  people  here  and  that 
would  have  a  tendency  to  increase  congestion  and  therefore  increase  the  value  of 
land.  This  experiment  is  made  in  some  Canadian  cities,  where  they  started  the 
policy  of  exemption  of  improvements  on  land,  which  draws  people  and  increases 
business.  I  do  not  think  this  tendency  to  attract  people  would  be  so  great  that  there 
need  by  any  fear,  as  it  would  automatically  check  itself;  and  in  the  long  run, 
of  course,  such  exemptions  would  be  more  and  more  beneficial,  as  more  cities  would 
take  it  up.  I  think  there  could  be  no  doubt  of  that,  and  of  course  you  have  to  begin 
somewhere. 

The  most  practical  method   for  helping  the   congestion   problem   for  taxation  is 


153 

through  the  policy  of  exempting  improvements.  It  is  largely  the  same  idea  whether 
you  decrease  the  tax  on  improvements  or  increase  the  tax  on  land.  There  are  some 
possible  complications.  Our  special  franchises  are  land ;  and  tangible  real  estate, 
which  is  a  building  value.  If  the  proposition  to  decrease  the  rate  on  improvements 
ever  assumes  the  proportions  where  it  would  be  likely  to  succeed,  the  special  franchise 
question  could  then  be  taken  up. 

One  reason  why  it  seems  it  would  be  fair  for  the  land  in  a  growing  community 
to  hear  the  higher  rate  of  tax  is  that  the  benefits  of  public  expenditures  go  so  largely 
to  increase  the  value  of  improvements.  We  need  not  talk  of  who  gets  the  benefits  of 
these  increased  values,  or  the  amounts ;  that  is  an  abstract  question  at  the  moment. 
The  practical  question  is  that  the  city  is  collecting  and  spending  every  year  an  enor- 
mous amount  of  money.  A  good  deal  of  this  is  spent  on  things  that  may  not  be 
easily  seen  to  be  reflected  in  the  increased  value  of  land,  but  a  great  part  of  it  is  re- 
flected in  the  higher  land  value,  as  street  paving  and  such  things,  whfch  we  all  know 
and  admit  tend  to  increase  materially  the  value  of  land.  Public  expenditures  tend  to 
increase  the  value  of  the  land  in  the  centres  as  well  as  in  the  outlying  districts. 
Therefore  you  ought  to  adopt  the  policy  of  taking  a  larger  share  of  the  value  of 
land.  It  is  extremely  hard  to  say  just  where  the  increase  does  come,  but  we  know 
it  does  come.  We  know  public  improvements  will  increase  the  value  of  land  some 
distance  away  from  the  improvement  as  well  as  near  by,  because  such  improvements 
enable  the  people  to  reach  a  business  centre.  The  Brooklyn  Bridge,  for  instance, 
is  a  shining  example  of  that  fact.  It  has  increased  values  right  around  the  Brooklyn 
Bridge,  but  the  Park  Row  rents  are  not  nearly  as  high  as  the  Broadway  rents  or 
lots,  and  it  has  increased  the  value  of  the  land  in  all  downtown  districts.  The  in- 
creased tax  upon  these  values  would  help  to  pay  for  these  public  improvements,  which, 
in  turn,  when  they  are  made,  will  help  to  increase  largelj'  the  value  of  the  land. 

That  is  all,  except  I  would  like  to  answer  Mr.  Marsh's  question  directly,  to  say 
that  "The  tax  on  the  value  of  land  cannot  be  shifted  to  the  tenant.  I  fail  to  know 
one  economist  who  holds  that  idea.  No  practical  real  estate  man  holds  that  the  land 
owner  to-day  collects  any  less  rent  than  he  is  able  to  get.  Consequently  if  he  is 
getting  all  the  rent  he  can  get  from  the  tenant  or  is  asking  as  much  for  his  land 
as  he  can  possibly  get  to-day,  he  cannot  get  more  just  because  his  tax  goes  up.  The 
question  of  how  high  it  is  taxed  will  not  affect  the  rental  price." 

E.     Statement  of  Mr.  Wm.  E.  Harmon. 

Mr.  Harmon  stated  that  he  had  been  active  in  real  estate  operations  for  twenty- 
five  years,  and  that  in  his  opinion  probably  the  best  way  to  solve  the  problem  of 
congestion  would  be  to  double  the  tax  on  vacant  land,  thus  reducing  the  tax  on  im- 
provements. The  question  as  to  who  pays  the  taxes  is  a  very  interesting  economic 
question.  The  tax  on  buildings,  it  is  conceded,  is  paid  by  the  tenants,  while  the  tax 
on  land  is  ordinarily  paid  by  the  owners.  The  rate  of  growth  of  land  values  has  in 
the  past  been  considerably  in  excess  of  the  increase  in  the  tax  charges  of  the  city. 
To  make  the  tax  on  land  double  that  on  buildings  is  directly  opposed  to  the  interests 
of  the  land  owners,  but  there  is  an  ethical  question  involved  which  should  be  hon- 
estly met.  If  you  increase  the  tax  on  land  you  force  construction  to  offset  carrying 
charges. 

Mr.  Harmon  stated  that  New  York  has  not  been  the  worst  congestion  problem, 
but  that  he  thought  that  conditions  were  worse  in  Pittsburgh.  Mr.  Harmon  stated 
that  he  thought  that  the  conditions  of  congestion  in  Boston  were  due  more  to  selec- 
tion than  necessity.  In  Boston,  although  it  ma}'  have  been  unconscious,  there  has 
been  a  tendency  to  place  a  disproportionate  tax  on  imoccupied  land. 

Prof.   Goodnow :  In  general,  how  has  this  been  brought  about? 

Mr.  Harmon  in  reply  cited  the  town  of  Wakefield,  where  he  thought  the  tax  de- 
partment had  adopted  a  more  or  less  defined  policy  of  forcing  the  occupancy  of  the 
land  by  increasing  the  valuation  of  unoccupied  land.  In  Boston,  this  tendency  has 
brought  about  a  condition  where  often  the  assessed  value  is  greater  than  the  intrinsic 
value  of  the  land.  So  long  as  the  tax  bears  due  proportion  to  the  property  nothing 
can  be  done.  This  has  been  partly  due  to  the  desire  to  force  the  occupancy  of  the 
land,  and  partly  to  the  increasing  cost  of  city  government. 

Land  values  around  Boston  are  hardly  as  high  as  they  were  a  few  years  ago ; 
the  actual  selling  price  of  land  is  often  from  15  to  20  per  cent,  less  than  in  1890  as 
a  result  of  the  high  taxes. 

Prof.  Goodnow:     Is  the  rate  high? 

Mr.  Harmon  :  Yes,  $18.00  to  $20.00  per  thousand.  As  an  example  of  the  as- 
sessed value  of  the  land  being  higher  than  the  selling  price,  Mr.  Harmon  cited  an 
instance  of  recent  date  when  the  company  which  he  represents  had  sold  a  piece  of 
land  in  Boston  for  $10,000,  the  assessed  value  of  which  was  $13,000. 


154 

Prof.  Goodnow  asked  whether  the  assessors  taxed  unoccupied  land  higher  than 
improved  land. 

Mr.  Harmon  replied  that  thev  did,  though  perhaps  unconsciously.  _  He  stated 
that  the  minimum  housing  rate  in  Boston  is  about  $1.85  per  room  for  which  he  could 
get  $2.50  or  $2.75  in  New  York  City. 

Prof.  Goodnow  asked  Mr.  Harmon  whether  he  considered  that  land  values  in 
Boston  are  kept  down  by  values  on  the  outside. 

Mr.  Harmon  replied  that  he  did,  except  as  to  central  business  properties. 
Prof.  Goodnow  asked  what  the  tendency  is  in  Pittsburgh. 

Mr.  Harmon  stated  that  in  Pittsburgh  there  are  three  grades  of  valuation  of 
land — city,  urban  and  rural.  Land  unoccupied  by  buildings  is  assessed  at  the  rural 
or  two-third  rate.  The  owners  of  land  hold  on  to  it  very  closely  and  the  people  are 
thereby  forced  into  less  space,  because  it  is  cheaper  to  hold  land  than  to  build  and 
congestion  of  population  results. 

Prof.  Goodnow  asked  whether  the  high  rates  around  Boston  tended  to  decrease 
land  speculation. 

Mr.  Harmon  replied  that  they  did.  He  stated  that  in  Boston  it  is  cheaper  to  pay 
rent  than  to  build  houses;  in  Pittsburgh,  the  reverse  is  true. 

Mr.  Harmon  stated  that  it  must  be  remembered  that  when  you  make  the  land 
tax  so  high  that  you  destroy  increment  you  are  apt  to  depreciate  land  and  therebj'-  put 
a  higher  tax  on  other  property.  Because  of  the  high  rate  on  land,  some  western 
towns  have  become  bankrupt.  Mr.  Harmon  said  he  rather  fears  that  the  tax  rate 
on  unoccupied  land  is  too  high  in  Boston.  He  expressed  it  as  his  opinion  that  in 
New  York  a  step  could  be  taken  to  increase  the  charge  against  the  land  without 
dest»'">ving  the  element  of  increment. 

Prof.  Goodnow  asked  whether  Mr.  Harmon  had  had  any  experience  with  the 
increment  tax. 

Mr.  Harmon  replied  that  he  had  net.  He  repeated  that  the  ethical  side  must  be 
met  and  the  most  effective  plan  would  be  to  destroy  the  monopoly  of  land  and  force 
construction  and  this  would  be  done  by  increasing  the  tax  on  land. 

Prof.  Goodnow  asked  whether  it  would  have  any  effect  on  congestion  of  pop- 
ulation. 

Mr.  Harmon  replied  that  it  would. 

Prof.  Goodnow  suggested  that  along  with  this,  transit  facilities  must  be  increased 
and  improved. 

Mr.  Harmon  replied  yes.  to  a  certain  extent  that  would  follow. 
He  instanced  the  case  of  some  houses  he  had  been  looking  at  to-day  in  one  of 
the  outlying  boroughs  which  rent  at  the  rate  of  $3.00  per  room.  They  were  about 
half  a  mile  from  the  station.  In  his  opinion,  Hebrews  and  others  now  living  on  the 
East  Side  would  take  advantage  of  the  better  living  conditions  and  lower  rents  in 
spite  of  the  carfare  and  half  mile  walk. 

Mr.  Bleecker  asked  whether  Mr.  Harmon  thought  the  people  now  living  close  to 
their  work  would  go  to  these  localities. 

Mr.  Harmon  replied  that  he  thought  they  would  go  more  slowly,  but  that  they 
would  go.  He  stated  that  the  tenement  house  has  a  very  strong  hold  on  the  people, 
but  that  anything  that  will  be  done  to  increase  the  development  of  the  outtying  dis- 
tricts will  pull  away  from  the  tenement  houses.  The  poorest  of  these  people,  how- 
ever, cannot  go  to  these  localities  on  account  of  long  hours  and  low  wages. 

Mr.  Harmon  stated  that  if  you  increase  the  tax  on  land  values  it  is  practically 
the  same  as  an  increment  tax. 

The  secretary  replied  that  it  does  not  give  any  additional  revenue  to  the  city. 
Mr.  Harmon  stated  that  he  is  inclined  to  think  that  the  assessed  land  values  in 
Brooklyn   has   increased   more   rapidly   than   the   intrinsic   value   within   the   past   five 
years.     That  it  will  not  be  possible  to  raise  land  values  except  in  some  sections ;  that 
the  land  values  in  Brooklyn  are  probably  stationary  for  the  time  being,  although  they 
are  increasing  in  certain  localities. 
The  Secretary:     For  how  long? 
Mr.  Harmon :     I  wish  I  could  tell. 

Mr.  Harmon  told  of  the  recent  sale  in  Brooklyn  at  $7,500  per  lot  for  which  he 
could  not  have  secured  more  than  $3,500  per  lot  a  few  years  ago. 

The  Secretary :  What  would  be  the  effect  of  an  increment  tax  on  congestion 
of  population? 

!NIr..  Harmon  :     Purely  theoretical.    We  cannot  tell  just  what  effect  it  would  have. 


155 

HOi\.  ALBERT  SUDEKUM.  MEMBER  OF  THE  REICHSTAG,  BEFORE 
THE  NEW  YORK  CITY  COMMISSION  ON  CONGESTION  01'  POPULA- 
TION, OCTOBER,  1910. 

Municipal  Taxation  and  Congestion. 

I  thank  you  very  much  for  the  honor  you  have  conferred  upon  me  by 
asking  me  to  address  the  New  York  City  Commission  on  Congestion  of 
Population  and  this  distinguished  audience.  I  shall  not  give  you  pretentious 
advice,  but  simply  state  what  some  of  our  great  German  cities  are  doing  in  the 
same  field  of  activity.  Practically  every  big  city  in  every  industrial  country  must 
face  the  question  of  congestion,  especially  in  Germany  and  in  those  places  in  New- 
England  where  the  tenement  house  exists  very  generally. 

During  the  whole  period  of  the  rapid  growth  of  our  German  cities  we  left  the 
whole  work  of  town  planning  and  housing  to  the  activity  of  private  individuals. 

We  have,  of  course,  in  every  town  a  Board  of  Supervisors,  who  formerly  did 
nothing  more  than  the  title  of  the  board  indicates;  they  did  nothing  on  their  own 
initiative  in  the  field  of  town  planning.  The  primary  reasons  for  appointing  such 
boards  was  to  secure  the  community  against  the  dangers  of  fire  and  fearless  house 
construction.  If  you  look  through  the  innumerable  state  and  municipal  laws  concern- 
ing the  housing  problem  as  a  whole,  you  soon  will  see  that  these  reasons  are  still 
in  effect  to  this  very  day.  The  law  defines  the  material  out  of  which  the  house  may 
be  constructed,  the  quantity  of  light  and  air  which  must  be  provided,  the  height  of 
the  house,  the  width  of  the  street,  the  material  of  the  roofs,  the  slope  of  the  staircases 
and  a  multitude  of  other  details  too  numerous  to  mention. 

What  they  did  not  do  and  perhaps  could  not  do  was  to  cope  with  the  problem 
of  congestion,  as  it  was  manifested  in  over-population  of  given  districts  of  every  tene- 
ment house  and  of  every  room  in  such  house.  A  speculative  movement  in  real  estate 
bought  up  and  is  still  buying  all  the  land  around  the  cities  and  the  steadily  growing 
industrial  centres,  enhanced  the  value  of  lands,  consequently  the  rents,  and  forced  a 
great  part  of  the  population  as  a  consequence  of  this  to  live  under  trying  conditions. 

The  overcrowded  tenements  are  the  graves  of  civilization  and  manhood,  of  hope 
and  ambition.  About  in  the  same  proportion  as  the  value  of  land  increased,  the  ex- 
penditure of  the  community  for  the  prevention  of  crime,  sickness  and  misery  increased. 

All  this  is  familiar  to  you  and  I  have  no  intention  of  boring  you  by  repeating 
trite  commonplaces.     Let  us  come  to  the  point :  The  war  against  these  evils  and  their 
causes.     There  is  no  patent  medicine  which  we  can  take  to  relieve  the  congestion  of 
population.     The  problem  is  a  complex  one  and  needs  a  combination  of  several  reme 
dies. 

The  often  advocated  measure  of  municipalization  or  nationalization  of  the  land 
is  not  to  be  treated  by  this  committee,  because  such  measures  after  all  could  not  be  the 
work  of  one  single  town;  I,,  therefore,  will  not  discuss  it. 

What  we  have  to  do  is  in  my  opinion :  First,  we  must  extend  the  area  to  be  used 
for  housing  purposes;  second,  we  must  provide  for  light  and  air,  and  for  playgrounds 
and  parks  in  the  new  quarters;  third,  we  must  provide  adequate  means  of  transpor- 
tation for  every  citizen  of  the  community;  fourth,  we  must  make  our  towns  beautiful 
when  we  execute  such  reforms. 

We  soon  realize  that  the  whole  problem  resolves  itself  into  the  question,  how  can 
the  land  be  cheapened.  For  if  the  land  is  inexpensive  we  can  build  inexpensive  houses 
and  spare  playgrounds  and  secure  a  pretty  environment. 

You  cannot  cheapen  the  land  in  the  heart  of  the  business  section  of  the  city — we 
have  no  desire  to  do  that — and  it  would  probably  be  unwise  to  attempt  to  cheapen  all 
lands  used  specially  for  business  and  not  for  housing  purposes.  But  there  are  quan- 
tities of  unimproved  land,  the  price  of  which  can  be  maintained  on  a  reasonable  level. 
That  is  a  question  of  town  planning.  We  ought  not  to  wait  until  the  private  enter- 
prise opens  up  the  block  around  the  suburban  districts.  The  present  procedure  is  for 
the  private  enterpriser  to  bring  the  town  into  the  country,  what  we  must  do,  is  to 
bring  the  country  into  the  town.  The  municipalities  must  be  given  the  right  nOt  to 
lay  out,  but  to  build  the  roads  and  streets,  as  for  example  the  city  of  Frankfort  is 
given  the  right.  The  municipality  ought  to  be  allowed  to  lay  out  its  roads  and  high- 
ways without  regard  to  the  boundaries  of  private  property.  What  we  must  overcome 
is  the  pure  individualistic  dogma,  that  property  rights  must  not  be  interfered  with. 
May  I  be  permitted  to  use  a  simile?  To-day  I  found  in  the  "Outlook"  of  this  week  an 
article  on  vaccination  and  smallpox.  An  anti-vaccinationist  points  out  in  it  the  simi- 
larity. Who  is  so  blind  as  not  to  see  the  truth  in  this  reasoning.  Now  property 
rights  are  not  more  sacred  than  personal  rights  and  private  property  must  defer  when 
the  needs  of  the  community  demand  it.  The  method  of  compensation  is  a  secondary 
consideration  and  may  be  different  in  different  places. 


156 

But  the  days  of  roads  and  highways  are  gone.  Nobody  can  afford  the  time 
necessary  to  walk  to  one's  business.  There  must  be  cheap  and  efficient  means  of 
transportation.  In  my  opinion  neither  the  surface  cars,  the  subway  or  the  L  ar«> 
the  most  efficient  means  of  transportation;  it  is  pre-eminently  the  railway  connection 
with  the  largest  number  of  lines,  possibly  the  state  or  municipally  controlled  railway, 
that  would  be  most  desirable.  As  long  as  the  local  means  of  transportation  are  in  the 
hands  of  private  companies  that  aim  only  at  profit,  there  is  of  course  little  hopes 
of  achieving  this  end. 

But  I  told  you  there  are  several  ways  of  attacking  the  evil  of  congestion  and  if 
under  existing  conditions  one  cannot  be  used,  the  other  can.  Even  a  private  company 
will  follow  in  the  direction  of  demand  and  if  the  demand  migrates  to  the  suburbs,  the 
private  company  will  pursue  it.  Hence  it  follows  that  we  must  accelerate  the  extension 
of  our  cities. 

We  can  do  this  by  forcing  the  property  owners  to  improve  their  land.  How  can 
we  do  that.  The  answer  is :  By  taxation.  In  my  country,  we  generaly  tax  unimproved 
land  double  the  rate  on  improved  land.  The  property  owner  may  stand  it  for  a  time, 
but  he  will  soon  realize  that  his  business  requires  the  improvements.  That  is  to  say, 
he  begins  to  build.  And  that  is  the  desideratum,  for  we  need  more  houses  for 
dwelling  purposes.  Many  housing  reformers  overlook  the  fact  that  it  is  of  no  social 
value  to  expel  a  horde  of  tenement  inmates  from  one  section  and  to  herd  them  intcx 
another.  A  simple-minded  policeman  may  be  content  to  adopt  such  methods,  he  may 
believe  that  the  war  against  congestion  is  compared  to  the  crusade  against  the  adul- 
teration of  food,  but  the  far-seeing  statesman  ought  to  use  more  intelligent  tactics. 
You  have  no  right  to  destroy  one  tenement  unless  you  are  prepared  to  open  the  doors 
of  at  least  two  new  and  better  houses. 

Many  German  towns  are  beginning  to  construct  houses  on  their  own  grounds  and 
at  their  own  expense.  For  instance,  the  town  of  Ulm  constructed  in  eighteen  years 
more  than  four  hundred  houses  for  working  people  in  1908  alone,  forty-eight  family 
houses  costing  1,850,000  marks;  the  same  town  supports  a  number  of  co-operative 
housing  societies;  it  owns  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  whole  area;  it  is  continually 
buying  more  land  and  does  not  sell  a  square  foot  of  it.  This  example  of  Ulm  has 
been  followed  by  many  other  towns  and  is  acknowledged  to  be  tl.e  best  preventative 
of  congestion.  But  it  may  be  a  question  if  the  method  can  be  carried  out  on  a  larger 
scale  in  our  greater  cities — our  capitals  of  industry. 

Town  planning  as  I  described  it  above  is  a  very  expensive  undertaking  for  a  muni- 
cipality. As  a  consequence  the  question  of  how  to  provide  the  money  arises.  There 
is  plenty  of  money  in  the  world,  and  all  we  have  to  do  is  to  take  it  from  those  who 
can  earn  it  without  toil  and  sweat.  This  brings  me  to  the  taxation  of  unearned  in- 
crement. While  discussing  this  question,  bear  in  mind  that  there  is  a  definite  re- 
lation between  the  increase  of  population  and  the  increase  of  land  values.  In  Berlin 
every  newly  born  infant  or  every  immigrant  who  settles  there  is  estimated  to  raise  the 
land  value  about  1,000  marks,  and  in  Greater  New  York  the  proportion  will  probably 
be  about  the  same.  Part  of  the  increase  of  value  should  go  to  the  community  wdiich 
creates  it.  The  taxation  of  unearned  increment  has  a  double  effect.  It  checks  the 
speculation  on  estates  values  and  it  affords  more  money  to  the  municipality  over  and 
above  the  regular  assessments.  In  my  country  the  taxation  of  unearned  increment  is 
so  very  popular  that  our  imperial  government  is  now  trying  to  have  it  operate  through- 
out the  empire.  At  least  1,200  large  and  small  places  have  it  already,  and  the  reports 
show  that  the  results  are  most  satisfactory  everywhere.  Of  course,  in  Germany  it 
is  still  in  its  infancy  and  the  schemes  are  almost  all  very  tame.  It  is  my  opinion  there 
is  no  reason  to  restrict  this  taxation  to  too  small  a  margin.  The  higher  the  margin 
the  better  the  effect.  To  sum  up,  I  do  not  advocate  a  single  remedy  for  congestion, 
be  it  a  single  tax  or  another  one.  I  believe  that  the  question  is  far  too  complex  and 
baffling  to  deal  with  it  without  the  use  of  different  methods. 

Where  there  is  a  will  there  is  a  way.  It  is  a  moral  crime  that  our  cities,  as  great 
and  magnificent  as  they  are,  should  postpone  the  solution  of  the  crying  problem  until 
it  has  attained  to  such  proportion  as  to  inflict  incalculable  misery  and  suffering  on  fu- 
ture generations.  The  people  will  be  the  happiest  and  will  surpass  all  others,  which 
first  overcome  this  great  difficulty.  I  can  see  by  the  quality  of  your  commission  that 
the  far-reaching  importance  of  this  question  has  come  home  to  my  American  brethren, 
and  for  their  sake  and  the  common  cause  of  humanity,  I  wish  you  every  success. 

Mr.  A.  C.  Pleydell  :  The  tax  on  unearned  increment  as  I  understand  it  is  a 
revenue  upon  profits  made  out  of  selling  land.     Ts  this  correct? 

Dr.  Sudekum :  Yes,  that  is  correct.  The  seller  pays  the  tax  on  community  earned 
increment  and  not  the  purchaser,  so  that  the  municipality  gets  part  of  the  increase  in 
the  value  of  land  instead  of  the  man  who  sells  it.  The  increases  in  the  value  of  land 
from  1897  to  1907  were  very  marked  in  many  German  cities. 


157 

Mr.  C.  R.  Lamb :  Are  there  any  laws  in  Germany  which  restrict  the  heights  of 
buildings  and  so  prevent  congestion  of  population? 

Dr.  Sudekum :  Yes,  the  State  laws  are  very  strict  and  the  heights  of  buildings  are 
two  stories  in  small  towns  and  villages,  three  stories  in  large  cities,  and  five  stories  in  Ber- 
lin, and  in  most  of  the  large  cities  also,  there  is  a  series  of  districts  or  zones  in  which 
all  buildings  must  not  exceed  a  specified  height  or  number  of  stories,  and  must  not 
cover  more  than  a  designated  proportion  of  the  lot  area,  and  these  regulations  apply 
only  to  each  district,  so  that  in  the  centre  of  cities  where  land  values  are  high,  the 
higher  buildings  are  permitted;  in  the  outlying  districts,  only  low  buildings  with  large 
yards   are   permitted.     Taxation   lowers  the  price  of   land   in   Germany. 

Prof.  Goodnow :     Has  anything  been  done  to  distribute  factories? 

Dr.  Sudekum :  Yes.  In  Berlin,  no  new  factories'  are  allowed  in  the  centre  of  the 
city,  and  the  location  of  factories  is  prohibited  in  other  sections  of  the  city. 

Mr.  C.  R.  Lamb :  What  is  the  limit  of  space  between  tenements  and  factories 
districts? 

Dr.  Sudekum :  This  varies  in  different  cities.  In  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  the 
two  districts  are  continuous,  while  there  are  certain  districts  (Gcmischte  \'iertel)  in 
which  both  factories  and  tenements  are  permitted.  Frankfort-on-the-Main  was  par- 
ticularly fortunate  in  that  the  city  owned  a  large  amount  of  land  along  the  river  front, 
and  improved  it  for  factory  sites,  renting  the  sites  on  long  leases.  Cologne  merely 
enacted  laws  prohibiting  the  location  of  new  factories  in  designated  districts,  but  did 
not  evict  any  already  started. 

Mr.  Otto  David  asked  whether  the  tax  on  the  vinearned  increment  would  tend 
to  create  and  enforce  better  buildings  and  larger  rooms. 

Dr.  Sudekum :     It  has  that  effect. 

The  Secretary :  Do  you  think  it  more  economical  to  prohibit  factories  in  cer- 
tain districts  and  for  the  City  to  construct  belt  lines  or  lines  for  carrying  freight 
which  would  merely  pay  for  the  investment  without  netting  any  profit  if  necessary, 
than  to  construct  expensive  lines  of  transit  for  passengers? 

Dr.  Sudekum:  Unquestionably  the  former  method  for  the  City  to  construct 
belt  Hues  is  the  more  economical  and  better  for  the  workingman  since  it  would  save 
time  and  carfare. 

Mr.  A.   C.   Pleydell :     Is  the  tax  upon  land  heavy  in  Germany? 

Dr.  Sudekum :    Yes ;  it  is  about  as  heavy  on  the  average  as  in  this  country. 

Mr.  J.  C.  Pumpelly :  In  view  of  the  difference  in  administration  between 
American  and  German  cities,  do  you  think  it  wise  for  American  cities  to  under- 
take the  same  policies  and  methods  as  have  been  adopted  in  Germany? 

Dr.  Sudekum :  I  am  unable  to  answer.  The  policies  which  have  been  adopted 
in  Germany  have  been  successful  there. 

Table  Comparing  the  Tax  Levy  on  Land  and  on  Buildings  in  Each  Borough  of  New 
York  to  Raise  the  Tax  Levy  on  Ordinary  Real  Estate  of  $115,080,377.79  in  1910,  if 
Land  Were  Taxed  at  the  Same  Rate  as  Improvements  and  Twice  the  Rate  on  Im- 
provements. 


Levy  on  Im-  Lev}^  on  Im- 

Levy  on  Land.      Levy  on  Land.         provements.  provements. 

Borough.             Uniform  Rate.       Double  Rate.            Uniform  Half  Rate 

Rate.  on  Land. 

Manhattan    $51,019,522  19      $63,727,911  17      $26,165,836  66  $16,293,833  22 

The    Bronx     4,666,706  04          5.829,98149         3,111,137  36  1,937,947  38 

Brooklvn  10,809,279  27        13,077,043  38        12,536,896  27  7,570,304  32 

Queens           3.624,257  83          4,391,115  40          1,951,523  46  1,182,013  24 

Richmond   633,465  91             741,928  35            561,752  80  328,236  04 

Total    $70,753,231  24      $87,767,979  79      $44,327,146  55  $27,312,334  20 


158 

Table  Comparing  the  Tax  Lew  on  Land  and  on  Buildings  in  Each  Borough  of  New 
York  to  Raise  the  Tax  Levy  on  Ordinary  Real  Estate  of  $115,080,377.79  in  1910,  if 
Land  Were  Taxed  at  the  Same  Rate  as  Improvements  and  Twice  the  Rate  on  Im- 
provements. 

Total  Levy  Difference  in 

With  Land  Levy  on  Land 
Borough.                                   Total  Levy.       Taxed  Double  Between 

Uniform  Rate.  Rate  on  Two  Methods 

Improvements.       of  Taxation. 

Manhattan    $77,185,350  85  $80,021,744  39  +$12,708,388  98 

The   Bronx 7,777,843  40  7,767,928  80      +1,163,275  45 

Brooklvn    23,346,175  54  20,647,347  70      +2,267,764  11 

Queens    5,575,78129  5,573,128  64         +766,857  57 

Richmond    1,195,218  71  1,070,164  39         +108,462  44 

Total *$115,080,377  79  *$115,080,313  99  +$17,014,748  55 


Table  Comparing  the  Tax  Levy  on  Land  and  on  Buildings  in  Each  Borough  of  New 
York  to  Raise  the  Tax  Levy  on  Ordinary  Real  Estate  of  $115,080,377.79  in  1910.  if 
Land  Were  Taxed  at  the  Same  Rate  as  Improvements  and  Twice  the  Rate  on  Im- 
provements. 


Borough. 


Difference  in  Levy 

on  Improvements 

Between  Two 

Methods. 


Result  in  Levy  if 
Land  be  Taxed 
Twice  the  Rate 
on  Improve- 
ments. 


Manhattan    —$9,872,003  44 

The    Bronx    —1,173,189  98 

Brooklvn    -^,966,591  95 

Queens  —769,510  22 

Richmond   — 233,516  76 

Total    —$17,014,812  35 


+$2,836,385  54 

—91,914  53 

—2,698,827  84 

—2,652  65 

—125,054  32 


Table  showing  the  saving  in  taxes  on  several  kinds  of  buildings  in  1910  if  land 
were  taxed  at  double  the  rate  on  buildings  to  raise  the  total  levy  on  ordinary  real 
estate  in  1910  exclusive  of   "real  estate  of  corporations"  and  "special   franchises." 

The  tax  rate  in  each  borough  in  1910  was  as  follows,  on  $100  assessed  value : 

Manhattan  and  The  Bronx    $1.75790 

Brooklyn    1.81499 

Queens   1.81779 

Richmond    : 1.87501 

The  tax  rate  in  the  county  varies  because  county  expenses  are  a  county  charge. 
The  tax  rate  on  land  if  double  that  on  buildings  would  have  been  in  1910,  $2,193+,  and 
on  buildings,  $1,096+. 


+  Means  increase  in  levy.    — Means  decrease  in  levy. 

*  The  difference  between  these  totals  is  due  to  one-hundredth  of  1  per  cent,  in  the 
varying  tax  levy  of  counties. 


159 


The  tax  rate  for  purposes  of  comparison  is  taken  for  each  borough : 

Assessed  Assessed  Tax  Witli 

Type  of  Building.  Land  Values.    Building  Values.      1910  Rates. 

Manhattan  and  The  Bronx — 

1.  Large  tenement    $12,000  00  $30,000  00  $737  94 

Brooklyn — 

2.  Large    tenement    10,000  00  28,000  00  689  32 

The  Bronx — 

3.  Three  family   2,000  00  6,500  00  149  34 

Brooklyn — 

4.  Three  family  1,000  00  5,500  00  117  91 

Queens — 

5.  Three  family  1,000  00  5,000  00  108  60 

Brooklyn — 

6.  Factory    20,000  00  40,000  00  1,088  40 

IVIanhattan — 

7.  Office  building   1,000.000  00  750.000  00  30,747  50 

Tax  Rate. 

Tax  In  1910  If  Land 
Were  Taxed  Double  Saving  With 

Type  of  Building.  Rate  on  Buildings.  Double  Rate.  Per  Cent. 

Manhattan  and  The  Bronx — 

1.  Large  tenement  ...  .  $59196  $14598  19.7 
Brooklyn — ■ 

2.  Large  tenement  ....  526  18  163  14  23.7 
The  Bronx — 

3.  Three  family    125  10  24  24  16.2 

Brooklyn — 

4.  Three  family   82  21  35  70  30. 

Queens — 

5.  Three  family   75  73  32  87  30. 

Brooklyn — 

6.  Factory    877  00  21140  19.4 

Manhattan — 

7.  Office  building  30,152  00  595  50 01.9 

This  table  illustrates  the  fact  that  the  nearer  the  land  value  approaches  the  value 
of  the  building  the  smaller  will  be  the  saving  to  the  owner  if  land  is  taxed  double 
the  rate  of  taxation  on  buildings.  The  most  marked  savings  through  the  proposed 
system  is  in  the  case  of  small  tenements  in  boroughs  outside  of  Manhattan  where  land 
is  relatively  cheap.  In  the  case  of  large  office  buildings  on  land  of  great  value  this 
saving  will  be  relatively  small. 

Table  showing  the  comparative  approximate  amount  that  would  have  been  paid 
by  each  borough  of  New  York  under  a  5  per  cent  tax  on  net  or  clear  increase  of 
assessed  value  of  land  from  1909  to  1910. 

Note — The  amount  assessed  in  each  borough  for  street  widenings  upon  prop- 
erty benefited  could  not  be  ascertained  for  the  year  1909,  but  the  total  for  the  four 
years,    1905    to    1908,    was    as    follows: 

Manhattan    $2,816,326  27 

The    Bronx 8,958,416  86 

Brooklyn     4,537,214  51 

Queens    614,455  07 

Richmond    108,994  80 

This  amount,  plus  the  amount  expended  by  the  owner  of  property  for  this  pur- 
pose and  for  parks,  pla3-grounds,  streets,  sidewalks,  transit,  etc.,  is  deducted  for 
every  parcel  before  the  increase  is  computed,  and  these  expenditures  are  much  larger 
proportionately  in  all  boroughs  outside  of  Manhattan,  and  would  hence  reduce  the 
total  amount  to  be  collected  from  each  borough.  It  is  fair  to  assume,  however,  that 
one-fifth  of  the  total  gross  increase  in  assessed  land  values  each  year  in  all  boroughs^ 


160 

except  Manhattan,  is  expended  for  the  purposes  referred  to,  and  one-tenth  in  Man- 
hattan^  -——-^-^-—^--^-—===^:==^= 

Amount  that  would 
be  secured  from  a 
Net  increase  in  assessed  tax  of  5  per  cent  Percent 

Borough.  land  values,  1909  to  1910  on  net  increase  of 

of  land  value  Total 

Manhattan     $67,908,843  00  $3,395,442  15  65.97 

The   Bronx    11,267,77100  563,388  55  11.27 

Brooklvn    9,303,607  00  465,180  35  9.31 

Queens    11,424,617  00  571,230  85  11.43 

Richmond    *46,818  00                                       

Total    $99,904,838  00  $4,995,241  90  100.00 

*  The  assessed  land  value  of  Richmond  decreased. 

Since  the  value  of  land  in  the  1911  assessment  is  full  value  any  increase  here- 
after will  be  bona  fide  increase  in  actual  value  and  not  due  to  increasing  the  rate  of 
assessment. 

Form  of  a  Progressive  Tax  Upon  Increases  in  Land  Values. 

The  German  form  of  taxation  is  a  moderate  increase  paid  at  time  of  transfer. 
Copy  of  a  Bill  for  Saxony  of  January  26,  1904. 

Section  53.  In  all  communes  having  a  population  of  more  than  10,000,  an  incre- 
ment tax  proportioned  to  the  increase  in  value  is  to  be  paid  by  the  transferrer  in 
case  of  change  in  ownership  of  unimproved  (umbebaut)  land. 

Under  exceptional  local  conditions  the  levy  of  an  increment  tax  may  be  required 
by  the  supervising  authorities  in  communes  of  less  than  10,000  inhabitants.  This 
levy  is  to  take  place  if  the  commune  may  be  regarded  as  a  suburb  or  if  an  unusual 
increase  of  population  has  taken  place  in  it. 

Section  57.     The  amount  of  the  increment  tax  shall  be: 

If  the  increase  of  value  is  5  to  20  per  cent  of  the  purchase  value  (erwerbswcrt), 
at  least  5  per  cent  of  the  increase. 

If  the  increase  of  value  is  20  to  30  per  cent  of  the  purchase  value,  at  least  10  per 
cent  of  the  increase. 

If  the  increase  of  value  is  30  to  40  per  cent  of  the  purchase  value,  at  least  15 
per  cent  of  the  increase. 

If  the  increase  of  value  is  40  to  50  per  cent  of  the  purchase  value,  at  least  20 
per  cent  of  the  increase. 

If  the  increase  of  value  is  over  50  per  cent  of  the  purchase  value,  at  least  25  per 
cent  of  the  increase. 

If  the  increase  in  value  is  less  than  5  per  cent,  there  shall  be  no  increment  tax. 

Section  58.  The  purchase  value  shall  be  that  value  which  the  land  has  for  its 
actual  utilization  on  the  part  of  the  seller,  or  if  there  is  no  actual  utilization,  such 
value  as  it  would  have  under  appropriate  agricultural   use. 

Schemes  for  Berlin  Progressive  Taxation  on  Land  and  Improvements. 

Section  7.  In  addition  to  the  tax  stated  in  section  1  (transfer  tax.  Umsatzsteuer) 
an  increment  tax  shall  be  levied  in  case  the  present  purchase  price  of  market  value  of 
the  land  shall  exceed  by  10  per  cent,  the  price  of  value  at  the  last  change  in  owner- 
ship, regard  being  had  to  the  allowances  stated  in  section  9.  For_  the  levy  of  this 
additional  tax  it  is  immaterial  whether  the  last  preceding  change  in  ownership  has 
taken  place  before  or  after  this  ordinance  goes  into  effect. 

Section  8.    The  amount  of  the  increment  tax  shall  be  as  follows: 

5  per  cent,  of  the  increase  in  value,  if  this  increase  in  value  is  more  than  10  and 
up  to  20  per  cent. 

6  per  cent,  of  the  increase  in  value,  if  this  increase  in  value  is  more  than  20  and 
up  to  30  per  cent. 

7  per  cent,  of  the  increase  in  value,  if  this  increase  in  value  is  more  than  301  and 
up  to  40  per  cent. 

8  per  cent,  of  the  increase  in  value,  if  this  increase  in  value  is  more  than  40  and 
up  to  50  per  cent. 

Q  per  cent,  of  the  increase  in  value,  if  this  increase  in  value  is  more  than  50  and 
up  to  60  per  cent. 

And  so  on,  1  per  cent,  of  the  increase  in  value  up  to  a  miximum  of  20  per  cent. 


161 

For  improved  sites  these  rates  shall  be  levied  only  if  live  years  at  most  have 
passed  between  the  last  preceding  and  the  current  change  of  ownership.  If  more 
than  five  years  and  less  than  ten  have  elapsed,  two-thirds  of  these  rates  shall  be  levied; 
if  more  than  ten  years  have  elapsed,  one-third. 

For  unimproved  sites  the  increment  tax  shall  be  two-tliirds  of  these  rates  if  more 
than  ten  years  and  less  than  twenty  have  elapsed  since  the  last  preceding  change  in 
ownersliip,  and  one-tliird  if  more  than  twenty  years  have  elapsed.  If  the  earlier 
purchase  price  or  market  value  cannot  be  ascertained,  then  supplements  lo  the  present 
selling  price  shall  take  the  place  of  the  increment  tax.  These  supplements  shall  for 
improved  sites,  be : 

After  10  at  20  years,  1  per  cent.  For  unimproved  sites  : 

After  20  at  30  years,  1^^  per  cent.  After  10  at  20  years,  I  per  ceni 

After  30  at  40  years,  2  per  cent.  After  20  at  30  years,  2  per  cent 

Over  40  years,  2>4  per  cent.  After  30  at  40  years,  3  per  cent. 

Over  40  years,  4  per  cent. 

Section  9.  In  ascertaining  the  increase  in  value  taxable  under  Section  8,  the  base 
sJiall  be  the  former  purchase  price,  but  to  this  arc  to  be  added  the  f ollowmg  ■ 

1.  All  expenses  for  permanent  improvement  of  the  land,  including  expenses  for 
building  streets  and  for  connections  with  sewers.  Expenses  for  remodelling  or  im- 
provements are  not  to  be  taken  into  account,  so  far  as  covered  by  insurance  payments. 

2.  In  case  of  unimproved  sites,  which  the  transferer  has  not  himself  used  for 
agricultural  or  manufacturing  purposes,  4  per  cent,  interest  of  the  preceding  purchase 
price,  less  all  receipts.  Where  land  has  been  given  without  compensation  for  streets 
or  public  places,  the  whole  purchase  price  remains  attributable  to  the  remaining  land, 
and  in  case  of  division  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  several  parcels.  No  other  additions  are 
permissible.  Any  difference  between  the  previous  purchase  price,  supplemented  by 
the  allowances  herein  provided,  and  the  present  selling  value,  is  to  be  regarded  as  an 
increase  of  value. 

Taxation   on  Increase  of  Land   Vahie. 

The  small  increase  of  taxation  on  land  values  in  Berlin  and  other  German  cities 
is  particularly  due  to  the  fact  that  there  are  so  many  restrictions,  even  in  the  centre  of 
the  city,  upon  buildings,  so  that  until  within  a  comparatively  few  years  there  has  been 
a  relatively  small  amount  of  speculation  and  increase  of  land  values  in  the  inner  part 
of  the  city.  The  proposition  for  an  increment  tax  in  Berlin  was  defeated  particularly 
because  of  the  proponderent  influence  of  real  estate  owners  in  the  city  due  to  their 
property  qualifications  for  the  suffrage.  As  high  as  500  fold  profit  has  been  made 
upon  land  in  the  suburbs  of  Berlin  within  the  last  twenty  years.  A  similar  condition 
prevails  in  Manhattan  and  in  New  York  and  justifies  the  rapid  increase  and  progres- 
sion of  taxation  on  increase  in  land  values.  Several  of  the  large  real  estate  operators 
have  within  a  few  years  after  purchase  sold  their  land  unimproved  for  from  three 
to  torty  times  the  amount  they  had  paid  for  it. 

Th^  following  exemptions  are  made  in  certain  German  cities  before  the  in- 
creased taxation  since  the  object  upon  which  the  increment  tax  is  levied  is  the  unearned 
increase  of  value  of  real  estate  during  a  specified  period.  Most  of  the  following 
allowances  commonly  specified  in  the  German  systems  might  be  permitted  in  assessing 
the  increment  taxes  in  American  cities. 

1.  All  expenses  for  permanent  improvement  of  the  property,  especially  for  addi- 
tions or  rebuilding,  provided  these  have  not  been  met  out  of  the  insurance  receipts, 
expenses  for  repairs  and  the  like  may  not  be  deducted,  since  these  serve  not  to  m- 
crease  the  value  of  the  property,  but  only  to  maintain  it. 

2.  Expense  for  street  building  and  for  sewer  connections. 

3.  Expenses  resulting  from  the  mere  change  in  ownership,  such  as  taxes,  registry 
and  legal  fees,  transfer  taxes  and  the  like.  These  deductions  are,  ho\vever,  not  allowed 
in  all  the  tax  ordinances.  Where  this  allowance  is  provided  for,  it  is  usually  by  way 
of  lump  sum  or  general  allowance— sometimes  a  general  5  per  cent,  allowance,  some- 
times 3  per  cent,  and  sometime  3  per  cent,  for  unimproved  land  and  5  per  cent,  for 
improved. 


162 


Proportion  of  the  Total  Tax  on  Land,  Total  Tax  on  Buildings  and  Grand  Total 
and  Per  cent,  of  City  Budget  that  would  have  been  paid  by  ordinary  real  estate  in 
each  Borough  in  1910,  if  land  were  taxed  at  twice  the  rate  that  buildings  were  taxed 
to  raise  the  total  levy  on  ordinary  real  estate  : 


Tax  on 
Borough.  Land 

at  $2.19358. 

Manhattan    $63,727,911  17 

The    Bronx    5,82<),981  49 

Brooklyn     13,077,043  38 

Queens    4,391,115  40 

Richmond     741,928  35 

Total    $87,767,979  79 


Per  Cent,  of  Per  Cent,  of 

New  York      Total  of  Per  Cent. 

Tax  on        New  York  of  City 

Land.         Tax  Levy.  Budget. 


72.63 

48.46 

39.06 

6.64 

4.45 

3.57 

14.89 

9.94 

8.01 

5.00 

3.34 

2.69 

.84 

.56 

.45 

100.00 


66.73 


53.78 


Borough. 


Per  Cent,  of  Per  Cent,  of 

Tax  on               New  York      Total  of  Per  Cent. 

Bldgs.                   Tax  on  New  York  of  City 

at  $1.09679.              Bldgs.  Tax  Levy.  Budget. 


Manhattan   $16,293,833  22 

The   Bronx    1,937,947  38 

Brooklyn    7,570,304  32 

Queens    1,182,013  24 

Richmond     328,536  04 

Total    $27,312,334  20 


59.65 

12.39 

9.98 

7.09 

1.47 

1.1? 

27.71 

5.76 

4.65 

4.33 

0.89 

0.73 

1.22 

0.25 

0.23 

100.00 


20.76 


16.77 


Borough. 


Total  Tax. 


Per  Cent, 
of  N.  Y. 
Total  Tax. 


Per  Cent, 
of  City 
Budget. 


Manhattan    $80,021,744  39  60.85 

The   Bronx    7,767,928  87  5.90 

Brooklyn    20,647,347  70  15.70 

Queens    5,573,128  64  4.23 

Richmond    1,070,164  39  0.81 

Total    $115,080,313  99  87.49 


70.55 


REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON   HEALTH,  ALDERMAN  ALEXANDER 

DUJAT,  CHAIRMAN. 

In  submitting  these  recommendations  which  call  for  the  expenditure  of  large 
sums  of  money  by  the  City,  the  Committee  wish  to  call  attention  to  a  few  facts 
brought  out  by  their  investigations  and  hearings,  and  based  upon  their  own  knowledge 
of  conditions  in  the  City. 

It  is  not  claimed  that  the  death  rate  of  New  York  City  is  extremely  high  com- 
pared with  the  death  rate  of  some  other  cities.  Dr.  W.  H.  Guilfoy,  Registrar  of  the 
Bureau  of  Records  of  the  Department  of  Health,  submits  the  following  statement  ta 
the  Committee : 

"New  York's  death  rate  in  1909  was  16.00  per  1000. 

Foreign  Cities. 

London 14.00  per  1000. 

Berlin 15.10  per  1000. 

Vienna 16.8   per  1000. 

Paris 17.4    per  1000. 

Munich 17.6   per  1000. 

Rome 19.3    per  1000. 

Venice 22.1    per  1000. 

St.   Petersburg 24.6   per  1000. 

Moscow 29.6   per  1000. 


163 

American  Cities. 

Chicago 14.1  per  1000. 

Philadelphia 1 5.8  per  1000. 

Boston 17.7  per  1000. 

Compared  with  other  cities,  the  crude  death  rate  of  New  York  City  is  somewhat 
higher  than  some  and  lower  than  others.  The  Committee  on  Congestion  should  not 
fall  into  the  error  that  the  crude  death  rate  of  a  city  is  an  accurate  measure  of  that 
city's  salubrity,  as  compared  with  that  of  other  cities  whose  crude  death  rate  may  be 
lower.  The  death  rate  of  any  town,  city  or  country  is  dependent  upon  a  considerable 
number  of  factors,  and  the  most  important  of  these  are  the  sex  and  age  groupings  or 
distribution  of  population.  A  city  with  a  very  high  birth  rate  like  New  York  City 
will  have  a  considerable  number  of  children  living  in  it  under  the  ages  of  five  years, 
at  which  age  the  death  rate  is  very  high,  consequently  this  would  increase  the  mor- 
tality considerably  above  other  cities  in  which  the  birth  rate  is  comparatively  low. 
\Ve  find  as  a  matter  of  fact  that  the  birth  rate  in  all  the  large  cities  of  the  world, 
with  the  probable  exception  of  New  York,  has  been  decreasing  within  the  past  tep 
years,  and  that  this  decrease  in  the  birth  rate  has  gone  hand  and  hand  with  a  decrease 
in  the  crude  or  general  death  rate,  due  to  the  comparatively  small  number  of  chil- 
dren under  the  ages  of  five  years,   at  which  age  the  mortality  is  excessive. 

When  this  department  receives  the  figures  showing  the  sex  and  age-gronnings 
of  the  City  of  New  York,  as  enumerated  in  the  Federal  Census  of  this  year,  it 
will  be  in  a  position  to  make  accurate  comparisons  between  the  death  rate  of  New 
York  City  and  that  of  some  of  the  other  cities  of  the  world.  Until  this  is  done, 
we  maintain  that  New  York  City  is  equal  to.  if  not  superior,  to  any  large  city  in 
the  world  from  the  point  of  view  of  healthfulness." 

While  admitting  that  the  crude  death  rate  of  New  York  City  is  not  higher  than 
many  other  large  cities  of  the  country,  it  must  be  remembered  that  Nevv  York 
City  is  a  combination  of  five  boroughs  with  ver}^  different  co'nditions,  varying  in 
density  of  population  and  extent  of  room  overcrowding.  The  density  of  popula- 
tion per  acre  in  each  of  the  boroughs  in  1905  and  1910  was  as  follows : 

Density  per  acre. 


Borough.  1905.  1910. 

Manhattan     149.8  166.08 

The   Bronx    10.4  16.5 

Brooklyn    27.27  32.8 

Queens    2.3  3.4 

Richmond     1.9  2.3 

The  density  per  acre  for  a  borough  or  ward  even  is,  however,  misleading,  as 
there  are  tens  of  thousands  of  the  nearly  eighty-three  thousands  of  Queens  prac- 
tically without  an  inhabitant,  and  about  half  of  Manhattan's  population  is  crowded 
on  to  less  than  one-fifth  of  its  area. 

The  indisputable  fact  remains,  however,  that  New  York's  death  rate  is  much 
higher  than  it  need  be  and  it  is  the  opinion  of  your  Committee  that  it  can  and  should 
be  materially  decreased,  since  the  loss  of  25,000  to  30,000  lives  a  year  from  preventable 
deaths  in  the  city  is  a  serious  fact  which  no  civilized  city  can  afford  to  neglect  as 
New  York  has  done  in  the  past. 

Thus  had  New  York's  death  rate  been  low  as  in  1908,  as  was  London's,  there 
would  have  been  over  12,000  fewer  deaths,  or  about  one-seventh  less.  While  it  is 
true  that  New  York  City  has  a  high  birth  rate,  as  Dr.  Guilfoy  states,  it  is  also  true 
that  it  has  a  large  annual  increment  of  population  of  healthy  and  strong  immigrants 
to  offset  this  high  birth  rate.  Unfortunately,  the  records  of  the  Bureau  of  Immigra- 
tion show  the  destination  of  immigrants  only  by  states  instead  of  by  cities  in  states,, 
so  that  it  is  not  possible  to  determine  exactly  how  many  immigrants  arrived  in  New 
York  City  during  each  year.  It  is  fair  to  assume,  however,  that  about  the  same 
proportion  of  immigrants  remained  in  New  York  City  for  a  time  as  went  to  the 
re.st  of  the  state.  Out  of  a  grand  total  of  256.425  immigrants  who  gave  their  des- 
tination as  New  York  State  in  1908.  only  83,403  were  women  and  children,  and  per- 
sons without  occupation,  or  about  one-third,  and  out  of  a  total  of  220,865  immigrants 
giving  this  state  as  their  destination  in  1909,  only  75,829  were  women  and  children 
and  persons  without  occupation,  again  about  one-third,  while  out  of  280,880  in 
1910,  only  73,859  were  women  and  children  and  persons  without  occupation — about 
one-fourth.     Thus  it  will  be  noted  that  the  population  of  the  city  is  increased  each 


164 

year  by  a  large  niimher  of  adult  and  healthy  immigrants  to  offset  the  high  birth 
rate  to  which  Dr.  Guilfoy  refers. 

Neither  does  it  follow  that  because  there  is  a  high  birth  rate  that  there  need  be 
a  high  death  rate  among  children  under  five  years  of  age.  Thus  in  Bourneville,  a 
garden  city  only  three  miles  from  Birmingham,  England,  the  death  rate  among  chil- 
dren under  five  years  of  age  was  onlv  72.5  per  l.COO  live  births  for  four  years,  1902- 
1905.  while  the  birth  rate  was  about  '40  per  1,000. 

In  Port  Sunlight,  a  similar  garden  city  across  the  Mersey  from  Liverpool,  where 
the  conditions  as  to  air,  sunlight,  space,  etc.,  arc  unquestionably  of  the  best  possible 
for  any  working  class,  the  birth  rate  has  been  42.6  per  1,000,  and  the  death  rate  for. 
eight  years  only  9.6  to  the  thousand.  The  Registrar  General  of  England  in  his  re- 
port for  1907  says:  "Speaking  broadly,  excessive  waste  of  infant  life  is  generally 
associated  with  a  high  birth  rate,  overcrowding,  and  the  industrial  employment  of 
women."  It  is  well  known  that  both  the  industrial  employment  of  women  '  and 
"sweatshop  labor"  of  women  as  well  as  tenement  manufacture  is  an  almost  inevitable 
feature  of  congested  life  in  New  York  City.  As  has,  however,  been  demonstrated 
from  the  examples  of  Bourneville  and  Port  Sunlight,  a  high  birth  rate  does  not 
mean  necessarily  a  high  death  rate. 

The  Department  of  health  recently  included  the  following  as  preventable  dis- 
eases— Typhoid  Fever,  Pneumonia,  Broncho-pneumonia,  Smallpox,  Cerebro-Spinal 
Menegitis,  Diphtheria  and  Croup,  Measles,  Scarlet  Fever,  Whooping  Cough,  Diar- 
rhceal  diseases.  Tuberculosis   Pulmonalis. 

The  total  number  of  deaths  from  Typhoid  Fever,  Pneumonia,  Broncho-Pneu- 
monia, Diphtheria,  Smallpox,  Measles,  Scarlet  Fever,  Tuberculosis  and  Diarrhceal 
diseases  in  New  York  City  during  the  four  years,  1905  to  1908,  inclusive,  was  as 
follows : 


Under  5.  5-12.  20-69.  Total. 

55,870  8,093  51,379  115,342 

The  total  deaths  from  these  causes  in  1909  was  28,700. 

The  deaths  from  Diarrhceal  diseases  alone  during  this  period  were  5,380,  chiefly, 
of  course,  among  children  five  years  of  age  or  under.  The  Committee  recognizes 
that  not  all  of  these  deaths  are  attributable  to  room  overcrowding,  overdensity  per 
acre,  or  even  bad  housing  conditions.  It  is  evident  that  poisoned  milk  fed  to  an 
infant  will  be  as  apt  to  kill  it  as  living  in  a  dark  interior  room.  Its  recommendations 
therefore  cover  this  question  of  better  inspection  of  milk  and  other  municipal  action 
in  securing  a  wholesome  supply  of  pure,  cheap  milk.  The  fact  remains,  however, 
that  from  the  standpoint  of  the  health  and  efficiency  of  the  city's  industrial  popula- 
tion the  loss  of  a  thousand  infants  a  j^ear  is  not  as  serious  as  the  loss  of  the  same 
number  of  able-bodied  men  and  women  of  working  age — that  is.  of  the  immediately 
potential  producers.  New  York  City  has  relied  upon  the  annual  influx  of  scores  of 
thousands  of  immigrants  to  take  the  places  of  the  thousands  of  adult  men  and 
women  who  are  annually  murdered  by  permitting  them  to  live  in  the  unsanitary  and 
hopelessly  dark  rooms  of  the  overcrowded  tenements  and  to  work  in  unsanitary 
factories  and  at  starvation  wages. 

The  statistics  furnished  by  the  Health  Departments  and  compiled  in  foreign 
cities  prove  conclusively  that  the  greater  the  density  of  population  per  acre  and  the 
larger  the  number  of  occupants  per  room  the  higher  the  death  rates  and  as  well 
the  sickness  rates.  Admittedly  the  death  rates  among  Jews  is  lower  than  among 
Italians  living  at  the  same  density  of  population.  Corrections  need  to  be  made  for 
age,  sex  and  race,  but  no  classification  or  refinement  of  statistics  can  hide  the  fact 
that  the  death  rate  of  New  York  City  is  higher  than  it  need  be  by  several  points 
and  that  two  most  important  causes  of  this  surplus  rate  is  the  overcrowding  of  rooms 
and  the  occupancy  of  dark  rooms  whose  occupancy  is  sanctioned  by  the  present 
Tenement  House  Law.  This  law  permits  nine  persons,  two  adults  and  seven  chil- 
dren under  twelve,  to  occupy  three  small  rooms  with  a  cubic  air  space  of  only  2,340 
cubic  feet. 

Dr.  W.  H.  Parks  stated  to  the  Committee :  "I  can  state  from  my  own  knowledge 
that  the  more  overcrowding  you  have,  the  more  sickness  and  deaths  there  will  be. 
As  to  the  actual  amount  of  such  increase  I  have  no  statistics  and  so  cannot  state 
definitely.  It  is  the  opinion  of  all  those  who  have  studied  this  question  that  we  have 
increased  sickness  in  overcrowded  rooms,  and  increased  mortality  among  those 
sick,  not  only  more  sick,  but  of  those  that  are  sick  more  deaths.  This  is  especially 
true  of  communicable  diseases.  Overcrowded  rooms  mean  less  fresh  air  for  indi- 
viduals  and  therefore  we  now  know  less  chance    for   recovery."     Dr.    Park   stated, 


165 

"If  possible,  not  more  than  two  persons  should  sleep  in  the  ordinary  small  city  room," 
and  recommended  that  persons  have  as  nearly  as  possible  1.000  cubic  feet  of  air 
space.  Dr.  \\'oods  Hutchinson  also  stated,  "Broadly  speakinp,  the  mortality  rate 
in  any  city  or  in  any  ward  varies  directly  with  the  density  of  population,  the  higher 
the  density  of  population  the  higher  the  mortality."  He  advocated  that  the  minimum 
cubic  air  space  that  should  be  required  is  600  cubic  feet  for  an  adult  and  400  cubic 
feet  for  children,  while  1,000  cubic  feet  should  for  ideal  conditions  be  required  for 
adults  and  600  cubic  feet  for  children. 

Dr.  Abraham  Jacobi  stated :  "There  is  no  possibility  of  eradicating  tuberculosis 
while  people  are  crowded  together  as  now  in  a  few  rooms.  We  can't  stop  diphtheria 
and  measles  and  other  contagious  diseases  as  long  as  we  have  this  congestion.  Tu- 
berculosis is  called  consumption,  but  there  is  a  difference;  where  there  is  a  single 
case  of  consumption  the  whole  family  is  doomed  unless  they  are  removed.  We  have 
been  preaching  rest,  good  food  and  sunlight  and  sending  to  institutions. 

"Advanced  cases  shouldn't  be  permitted  to  remain  in  their  homes,  as  they  will 
exterminate  the  whole  family,  but  should  be  removed  and  cared  for.  Tuberculosis 
can  be  exterminated  by  taking  care  of  incipient  cases,  but  those  in  the  last  stages 
must  be  especially  cared  for.  In  one  city  institution  there  are  360  people  where  there 
should  be  only  150." 

Similar  evidence  as  to  physical  results  of  overcrowding  is  furnished  by  the  sta- 
tisticians and  medical  officers  of  several  English  cities  as  noted  earlier  in  this  report. 

The  Committee  in  making  the  following  recommendations  does  so  distinctly^  on 
the  basis  of  securing  the  minimum  healthy  conditions  of  living  essential  to  an  efficient 
citizenship  and  does  not  understand  it  to  be  any  part  of  their  functions  to  discuss 
or  even  consider  the  cost  of  securing  a  reasonably  healthy  standard  of  living.  To 
fail  to  recommend  a  reasonable  standard  of  health  would  be  to  admit  that  New  York 
with  all  its  wealth  still  finds  it  cheaper  to  kill  people  than  to  ensure  for  them  healthy 
homes. 

The  following  are  the  facts  regarding  New  York's  health  upon  which  the  Com- 
mittee bases  their  recommendations : 

There  are  about  135, OCO  people  constantly  sick  in  New  York  City.  There  are 
35,000  to  40,000  people  constantly  being  cared  for  in  the  hospitals  of  the  city,  the 
great  majority  of  them  either  in  the  city's  hospitals  or  in  hospitals  which  receive 
a  per  capita  or  per  diem  appropriation  from  the  city  for  the  patients  they  care  for. 

There  are  nearly  10,000  deaths  a  year  from  consumption  and  about  28,000  new 
cases  of  consumption  every  year,  and  those  totals  cannot  be  materially  reduced  so 
long  as  the  occupancy  of  dark  roms  and  unsanitary  factories  is  permitted,  and  the 
city  fails  to  make  adequate  provision  for  the  care  or  cure  of  tuberculous  patients. 

There  are  from  25,000  to  30,000  deaths  from  preventable  diseases  in  the  city 
annually.  Of  the  125.000  babies  born  in  New  York  annually  about  16,000,  one  in  every 
eight,  die.  The  death  rates  in  congested  blocks  and  overcrowded  rooms  in  the  city 
are  much  higher  than  those  among  the  same  races  and  ages  living  in  less  crowded 
conditions.  The  economic  waste  from  certain  preventable  diseases  in  the  city — that 
is  the  lo'JS  of  wages  of  men  and  women  who  die  of  these  diseases — amounts  in  New 
York  City  to  from  $37,000,000  to  $41,000,000  annually. 

Congestion  of  population  is  contributing  very  largely  to  the  $10,000,000  a  year 
which  New  York  City  spends  annually  on  her  departments  for  the  prevention  and 
the  cure  of  diseases. 

This  waste  of  life  can  be  materially  lessened  by  aggressive  action  by  the  city 
itself,  with  the  expenditure  of  enough  money. 

The  Committee  therefore  makes  the  following  specific  recommendations: 

Whereas  the  requirements  of  the  present  Tenement  House  Law  are  that  there 
shall  be  not  less  than  400  cubic  feet  of  air  space  for  every  adult  and  200  cubic  feet 
of  air  space  for  every  child  under  twelve  years  of  age,  and  this  is  evidently  not 
a  sufficient  provision  of  air  space  to  comply  with  the  requirement?  of  health.  The 
Committee  recommends  that  the  requirement  be  increased  to  600  cubic  feet  of  air 
space  for  every  adult  and  400  cubic  feet  of  air  space  for  every  child  under  twelve 
years.  In  view  of  the  very  great  difficulty,  however,  of  enforcing  a  regulation  of 
this  kind  throughout  the  city,  since  the  requirements  of  cubage  and  dimensions  of 
rooms  in  tenement  houses  has  varied  in  the  different  Tenement  House  Laws  which 
have  been  enacted  during  the  past  35  years,  the  Committee  feels  that  the  standard 
should  be  enforced  only  for  the  apartments  instead  of  for  each  room.  They  rec- 
ognize that  this  is  not  an  ideal  arrangement,  but  if  in  the  judgment  of  the  Commis- 
sion it  is  feasible  to  require  this  cubage  and  provision  of  air  space  by  rooms  in 
tenements  hereafter  to  be  constructed  and  provisions  for  this  cubage  for  apartments 
in  buildings  already  standing  and  constructed  prior  to  some  date  to  be  set  in  the 
future,  the  Committee  would  so  recommend. 


166 

The  law  on  overcrowding  as  it  stands  on  the  statute  book  at  present  is  abso- 
lutely a  dead  letter  and  more  effective  means  must  be  adopted  to  secure  its  enforce- 
ment than  have  heretofore  been  adopted. 

First. — The  Committee  therefore  recommends  that  the  Tenement  House  Depart- 
ment be  requested  to  have  placards  prepared  stating  the  maximum  number  of  occupants 
permitted  by  law  to  occupy  every  apartment,  or,  if  it  be  deemed  feasible,  every  room, 
and  that  legislation  be  enacted  requiring  the  owner  of  the  house  or  his  responsible 
agent  to  keep  a  record  of  the  number  of  occupants  of  each  apartment  which  he  rents, 
and  also  legislation  requiring  the  occupant  or  lessee  of  apartments  to  file  an  appli- 
cation with  the  landlord  for  each  lodger  whom  he  takes.  In  view  of  the  fact  more- 
over that  so  large  a  proportion  of  the  population  of  the  city  live  in  one  and  two- 
family  houses  and  that  in  all  probability  this  proportion  will  increase  in  the  near 
future  with  the  spread  of  Manhattan's  congested  population  to  the  other  boroughs 
of  the  City,  the  Committee  recommend  that  the  same  requirements  as  to  cubic  air 
space  in  apartments  of  one  and  two-family  houses  should  be  enacted,  into  law  and 
that  similar  provisions  should  be  made  for  the  enforcement  of  this  provision  by 
the  creation  of  a  bureau  charged  with  this  duty  in  the  Department  of  Health. 

Second. — Ample  evidence  has  been  brought  before  the  Committee  on  Health, 
that  the  perpetuation  of  consumption  in  the  city  is  inevitable  if  people  are  permitted 
to  occupy  dark  interior  rooms  and  tenements  into  which  no  sunlight  ever  penetrates. 
The  testimony  on  this  point  has  been  unequivocal. 

Dr.  W.  H.  Parks  stated:  "The  best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief  is  that  three- 
quarters  of  those  now  known  to  have  consumption  will  die  without  regard  to  what 
can  be  done  for  them,  and  it  is  only  in  the  early  stages  that  recovery  is  possible  for 
a  large  percentage,  so  that  there  are  some  20,000  in  New  York  City  that  must  die 
from  the  progress  of  the  disease  they  now  have."  He  stated  further  "that  prob- 
ably 90  per  cent,  of  these  are  adults  and  that  most  fatal  cases  of  tuberculosis  occur 
either  in  the  first  year  of  life  or  after  reaching  adult  size.  The  most  important  thing 
is  to  supply  a  place  where  good  air  and  good  light  can  be  got  away  from  the  city. 
Next  to  that  give  them  rooms  with  good  air  and  good  light  in  the  city  and  sufficient 
suitable  food  if  they  cannot  afford  it  themselves.  Every  case  removed  from  the  city 
and  made  comfortable  itself  will  remove  one  centre  of  infection.  At  the  present 
time  the  number  of  tuberculosis  cases  in  the  city  remains  the  same.  That  is,  w^e 
have  as  many  cases  each  year  as  the  year  before.  This  means,  however,  a  less 
percentage  of  the  whole  population,  because  the  city  is  rapidly  increasing  its  popula- 
tion." Dr.  Parks  stated  that  he  anticipated  the  same  number  of  deaths  annually, 
approximately  10,000,  under  our  present  method  of  treatment.  He  also  stated  that 
if  an  immigrant  contracted  tuberculosis  elsewhere  he  would  be  more  likely  to  suc- 
cumb to  it  because  the  room  was  dark  and  would  be  more  likely  to  affect  others  in 
it.  He  stated  also  that  any  one  that  has  had  consumption  should  always  live  in  the 
best  possible  conditions  as  to  light  and  air  space.  It  is  even  dangerous,  he  claimed, 
for  a  tuberculous  person  who  has  recovered  after  leaving  the  city  to  return  to  it 
and  go  back  into  the  office  work  or  ordinary  city  occupations. 

Dr.  Woods  Hutchinson  stated  that  in  his  judgment  it  is  not  possible  to  extermi- 
nate tuberculosis  if  occupancy  either  for  living  or  working  purposes  of  the  ordinary 
interior  rooms,  lighted  only  by  a  window  from  an  outside  dark  room,  which  room 
itself  is  lighted  from  a  narrow  air  shaft  3  feet  or  4  feet  wide  is  permitted.  He 
suggested :  "There  should  be  such  changes  in  the  Tenement  House  Law  or  in  the 
interpretation  of  it  as  to  prohibit  the  use  of  those  dark  rooms,  those  that  are  tech- 
nically to  be  regarded  as  light,  those  that  open  into  another  room.  No  room  in  which 
it  is  not  possible  to  read  in  the  centre  of  the  floor  during  all  hours  of  daylight  is  fit 
for  human  occupancy."  He  remarked  further :  "I  should  say  that  as  contrasted  with 
other  cities,  the  housing  conditions  here  played  a  very  considerable  part  in  the  preva- 
lence of  tuberculosis,  because  wages  are  higher  here,  food  is  better,  hours  for  labor 
are  shorter  and  the  climate  is  better  than  in  the  majority  of  great  Europan  cities, 
and  we  have  a  large  amount  of  sunlight  as  compared  with  other  cities." 

The  Committee  therefore  recommends  that  a  permanent  B'^ard  of  Condemnation 
for  the  condemnation  or  ordering  vacation  of  unsanitary  buildings,  dwellings,  apart- 
ments, rooms  and  tenements,  be  created,  which  shall  devote  its  entire  time  to  the 
inspection  of  the  scores  of  dark  rooms  in  tenements,  factories  and  dwellings  in  this 
city  which  are  continuing  the  number  of  deaths  from  consumption.  It  is  evident 
that  the  mere  cutting  of  a  window  4  by  7  feet  from  one  dark  room  into  another  is 
absolutely  inadequate  to  make  the  room  fit  for  human  habitation  or  even  occupancy, 
and  that  many  of  these  rooms  must  be  permanently  closed  or  at  least  permanently 
vacated.  Many  of  the  buildings  are  in  themselves  so  serious  a  menace  that  they 
shouH  be  closed.  The  Committee  is  aware  that  some  immigrants  are  careless  in 
reference  to  this  matter  and  absolutely  indifferent,  but  the  interests  of  the  city  re- 


167 

quire  that  they  should  be  protected  against  themselves  if  necessary,  since  they  come 
here  robust,  having  to  pass  a  very  careful  physical  examination.  As  Dr.  Hutchinson 
has  stated :  "We  breed  two-thirds  of  our  consumption  right  here  in  this  city,  as 
the  class  of  people  that  come  here  from  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic  are  as  et 
whole  a  healthy  and  superior  class."  In  self  protection,  therefore,  the  city  which 
must  pay  the  cost  of  caring  for  the  families  of  wage  earners  who  succumb  to  con- 
sumption has  the  right  to  protect  itself  and  require  its  citizens  to  accept  the  city's 
protection  against  these  conditions. 

Third. — It  is  evident  that  the  present  facilities  and  expenditures  of  the  city  for 
■caring  for  victims  of  consumption  are  inadequate,  since  there  are  long  waiting  lists 
in  the  various  institutions  treating  tuberculous  patients.  The  poverty  of  the  citi- 
zens moreover  prevents  their  securing  proper  food  and  refraining  from  work  until 
they  are  physically  able  to  go  back  to  their  ordinary  employment.  The  Committee 
therefore  recommends  that  the  city  make  adequate  provision  to  care  for  the  victims 
of  consumption  away  from  their  homes.  They  feel  the  city  should  also  provide  out- 
side of  congested  districts  for  the  indigent  families  of  these  patients,  especially  when 
they  are  deprived  of  the  earnings  of  the  wage  earner  of  the  family.  The  Committee 
feel  strongly  that  this  is  not  a  charity  in  any  sense  of  the  word,  but  only  the  debt 
which  the  city  owes  to  these  families. 

Fourth. — The  Committee  have  had  considerable  evidence  presented  to  them  of 
the  danger  from  a  health  point  of  view  of  manufacturing  in  tenements.  At  present 
a  license  is  given  for  manufacturing  in  an  entire  tenement  and  not  for  a  single  apart- 
ment, and  the  result  has  been  that  tenement  manufacture  is  carried  on  in  apartments 
or  tenements  in  which  there  are  patients  sick  with  scarlet  fever,  consumption, 
diphtheria  and  measles.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  state  that  this  is  a  serious  menace, 
not  only  to  the  city  itself,  but  to  the  other  communities  to  which  the  goods  manu- 
facured  in  these  tenements  are  shipped.  They  therefore  recommend  that  manufac- 
turing in  tenement  houses  be  prohibited  if  it  be  constitutional,  and  in  any  event  that 
it  be  much  more  carefully  regulated  than  at  present  and  that  manufacturers  be  held 
responsible  for  the  place  to  which  their  work  is  sent  and  in  no  case  should  work  be 
sent  to  any  tenement  in  which  there  are  children,  for  two  reasons,  presented  in  the 
evidence  given  before  the  Committee. 

First. — Families  in  which  there  is  no  contagious  disease  often  give  part  of  the 
clothing  they  have  received  to  families  one  of  whose  members  is  sick  in  the  apart- 
ment with  a  contagious  disease. 

Second. — The  cruelty  to  children  of  permitting  them  to  work  at  home.  It  is  not 
uncommon  for  young  children,  as  young  as  four  years  of  age,  to  work  several  hours 
pulling  out  bastings  and  doing  other  unskilled  but  confining  work,  which  is  most 
injurious  when  carried  on  for  a  number  of  hours.  Manufacture  of  flowers  js  very 
common,  too,  and  your  Committee  have  seen  young  children  working  at  night  in 
this  employment. 

Fifth. — The  Committee  recommends  that  provision  should  be  made  not  only  for 
the  physical  and  medical  examination  of  all  school  children,  but  as  well  for  the 
treatment  of  all  school  children,  in  public  and  religious  schools,  if  their  parents  are 
unable  to  afford  this  themselves.  It  will  be  noted,  however,  from  the  report  of  the 
Division  of  Child  Hvgiene,  Department  of  Health,  that  for  the  school  year  from 
September,  1908,  to  June,  1909,  that  242,048  children  out  of  323,344  examined  were 
found  to  need  treatment,  183,862  on  account  of  defective  teeth,  38,329  on  account  of 
defective  vision,  73,058  on  account  of  defective  nasal  breathing,  and  86,688  on  ac- 
count of  hypertrophied  tonsils.  Of  the  total  number,  203,438  received  treatment,  or 
84.06  per  cent,  of  the  432,138  children  found  during  the  year  1909  to  1910  to  have 
non-contagious  physical  defects  17  per  cent,  were  reported  as  treated.  The  Bureau 
of  Municipal  Research  in  commenting  upon  the  work  of  the  Division  of  Child 
Hygiene  stated:  "Of  every  100  school  children  examined  by  medical  inspectors  of  this 
division,  approximately  75  per  cent,  were  recommended  to  secure  medical  treatment. 
Of  the  75  in  every  100  found  defective,  about  11  pr  cent.,  or  53  children,  are  re- 
ported by  this  division  as  treated.  Of  the  11  per  cent.,  it  is  fair  to  question  from  the 
records  of  the  department  whether  more  than  25  per  cent.,  or  13  children,  have  re- 
ceived treatment  which  is  recognized  by  the  department  itself  as  effective. 

"From  records  of  the  department  it  may  in  fairness  be  questioned  whether 
more  than  25  per  cent,  of  the  children  reported  as  treated  received  treatment  that  by 
the  standards  of  the  department  can  be  considered  effective. 

"In  view  of  the  great  efiforts  of  the  department  to  urge  treatments,  it  is  there- 
fore very  probable  that  a  greater  number  of  effective  treatments  cannot  be  secured 
because  of  limitations  of  clinics  and  the  economic  inability  of  parents  to  pay  doctors' 
fees. 

"The  question  presented  is  whether  the  department  shall  make  a  constantly  in- 


168 

creasing  number  of  physical  examinations  in  which  a  very  small  percentage  of  those 
examined  receive  effective  treatment,  or  v^'hether  it  is  better  for  the  city  to  make 
fewer  examinations  and  secure  effective  treatment  in  a  large  percentage  of  cases  ex- 
amined." 

The  Committee  feel  that  it  is  wrong  to  take  the  ground  that  because  the  parents 
of  children  are  too  poor  to  give  them  the  treatment  which  a  medical^  examination 
shows  that  they  need,  that  therefore  the  city  should  refrain  from  having  them  ex- 
amined. The  revelations  as  to  the  physical  conditions  of  children  are  most  alarming 
and  therefore  the  Committee  recommend  most  emphatically  that  adequate  appropria- 
tion be  made  to  the  Department  of  Health  as  above  suggested  so  that  every  child  in 
the  School  may  have  a  careful  medical  examination  as  frequently  as  the  Department 
of  Health,  which  has  in  charge  this  work,  deems  necessary,  and  that  adequate  ap- 
propriation should  be  made  for  the  treatment  of  children  whose  parents  are  unable 
to  give  them  the  proper  care  and  treatment.  Whenever  the  parents  are  able  to  give 
them  such  care  they  should,  of  course,  be  required  to  do  so  and  should  be  punished 
for  cruelty  and  neglect  of  children  in  case  they  fail  to  make  such  provisions  for 
their  need  as  is  within  their  financial  ability.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  city  fails 
to  provide  the  needed  treatment  for  the  children  whose  parents  are  unable  to  secure 
this  for  them,  then  it  is  guilty  of  as  gross  cruelty  and  neglect  of  the  children  as  the 
parents  themselves. 

The  Committee  feel  that  in  emphasizing  the  responsibility  qfthe  city  for  careful 
and  adequate  treatment  of  the  children  they  are  merely  emphasizing  the  fundamental 
duty  of  the  city  to  protect  itself,  since  the  waste  of  the  children  of  the  city  is  most 
alarming. 

Sixth. — Impure  milk  causes  many  thousands  of  preventable  deaths  ampng  in- 
fants, and  much  expensive  sickness,  which  is  a  heavy  cost  upon  the  poorly  paid  wage 
earners  of  the  city.  The  Committee  recommend  that  adequate  appropriation  be  made 
for  the  inspection  of  milk  and  for  securing  a  supply  of  cheap  and  good  milk  for  the 
city.  This  certified  milk  would  cost  only  15  cents  per  quart,  which  would  mean  a 
cost  of  approximately  $1.00  per  week  for  each  child.  Your  Committee  also  recom- 
mend that  the  city  itself  establish  stations  for  pasteurizing  milk  which  could  be  made 
safe  and  sold  at  9  cents  per  quart. 

Ninth. — The  Committee  recommends  that  more  playgrounds  should  be  pro- 
vided to  counteract  the  physical  results  of  room  overcrowding  and  congestion  of 
population.  As  suggested  by  Mr.  Frederick  L.  Hofifman,  the  noted  statistician,  these 
playgrounds  should  be  provided  chiefly  in  the  form  of  grass  plots  and  serve  as 
playgrounds  for  the  children. 

Tenth. — The  Committee  recommend  that  the  city  restrict  the  development  of 
outlying  sections  of  the  boroughs  where  land  is  now  very  cheap  so  that  there  will 
not  be  a  density  of  over  100  to  the  acre  and  that  the  development  be  restricted  to  one 
and  two-family  houses.  Mr.  Hoffman  made  the  following  statement  before  the  Com- 
mittee :  "I  am  willing  to  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  it  is  not  only  necessary,  but  the  duty 
of  every  large  American  city  like  New  York  absolutely  to  central  factory  and  build- 
ing operations  within  a  radius  of  say  fifteen  miles  of  its  centre  as  a  reasonable 
transportation  distance,  and  the  city  failing  to  discharge  this  duty  is  guilty  of  a 
grave  negligence  toward  the  most  desirable  class  of  its  citizens." 

The  housing  problem  is  primarily  a  health  problem  and  the  mere  fact  that  in- 
sanitary conditions  and  overcrowded  tenements  and  rooms  have  been  excused  in 
Manhattan  and  in  parts  of  the  Bronx,  Brooklyn,  and  even  Queens  because  of  high 
land  values  is  no  reason  whatsoever  why  these  conditions  should  be  permitted  to 
exist  or  to  be  duplicated  in  other  boroughs. 

The  precedents  of  foreign  countries,  notably  Germany,  Austria,  France,  Italy 
and  England  are  adequate  for  the  establishment  of  zones  and  districts  outside  of 
Manhattan  in  which  the  buildings  should  be  restricted  to  the  height  of  two  or  three 
stories  for  dwellings,  which  should  not  be  permitted  to  occupy  more  than  50  per 
cent,  or  60  per  cent,  of  the  lot  area.  Most  large  German  cities  have  already  estab- 
lished these  districts  and  although  permitting  five-story  tenements  in  the  centre  of 
the  city,  restrict  the  height  of  buildings  in  outlying  districts  to  two  and  three 
stories,  and,  in  some  cases,  limit  the  proportion  of  the  lot  area  that  may  be  covered 
to  40  per  cent.  England  by  its'  Town  Planning  .A.ct,  passed  last  year,  has  given  the 
local  authorities  of  each  city  the  right  to  restrict  the  number  of  cottages  per  acre 
to  from  10  or  12  or  20  per  acre  and  a  maximum  density  of  100  to  the  area.  This 
is  perfectly  feasible  in  certain  sections  of  New  York  City  to-day,  and  it  is  the  opin- 
ion of  the  Committee  that  on  the  basis  of  health  alone  this  restriction  should  be 
imposed  upon  the  outlying  districts  of  the  city. 

All  the  recommendations  of  the  Committee  are  based  upon  the  health  require- 
ments   and    the    Committee    in    submitting    these    recommendations    respectfully    ask 


169 

that   the   Committee   on    Legislation   be   instructed   to   prepare   legislation   embodying 
these  recommendations  and  providing  for  their  enforcement. 

Statements  Presented  to  the  Committee  on  Health. 
A.     Statement  by  Mr.  Frederick  L.  Hoffman.  Statistician  of  the  Prudential  Life  Insur- 
ance Company. 

Q.  What  is  the  relation  between  room  overcrowding  and  mortality  rates? 

Mr.  Hoffman :  On  that  point  I  would  say  that  there  can  be  no  question  of 
doubt  but"  that  overcrowding  results  in  a  higher  death  rate.  Increasing  density  of 
the  population  is,  under  normal  conditions,  followed  by  an  increase  in  the  death  rate. 
The  exception  to  this  rule  is  met  with  in  the  case  of_  model  tenements,  such  as  the 
Peabody  dwellings,  of  London,  where  a  death  rate  is  experienced  lower  than  the 
average.  The  effect  of  increased  density  is  most  pronounced  in  the  higher  mortality 
of  children  under  5  years.  I  have  a  statement  of  the  Peabody  Model  Dwellings,  in 
London,  since  1891,  and  the  death  rate  has  invariably  been  lower  than  the  corre- 
sponding death  rate  in  London,  and  it  is  now  down  to  13.7  per  thousand,  while  the 
birth  rate  is  28.9. 

Chairman  Cantor :  Are  the  people  of  these  tenements  of  a  higher  social  grade 
than  those  usually  found  in  the  average  tenement? 

A.  Yes,  I  think  it  is  true  that  they  are,  but  we  must  remember  that  the  comparison 
is  made  with  the  population  of  London  and  not  with  the  slum  population,  the  death 
rate  of  which  would  be  perhaps  three  times  as  high.  In  the  case  of  Port  Sunlight, 
outside  of  London,  where  model  dwellings  have  been  established,  the  general  death 
rate  for  a  period  of  8  years  has  been  only  9.6  to  the  thousand,  while  for  England  and 
Wales  it  was  16.7  to  the  thousand.  The  birth  rate  for  Port  Sunlight,  where  the 
conditions  of  health,  as  to  air,  sunlight,  space,  etc.,  are  unquestionably  the  best  pos- 
sible for  any  working  class,  has  been  42.6  to  the  thousand,  against  27.7  to  the  thou- 
sand for  England  and  Wales;  that  is  to  say,  while  they  had  a  larger  birth  rate,  they 
had  a  lower  death  rate,  which  is  practically  never  met  with  outside  of  such  living 
conditions  as  those  at  Port  Sunlight.  The  conditions  in  Essen,  among  the  employees 
of  the  Krupp  Corporation,  have  been  much  the  same.  There  are  no  statistics  for  this 
population,  but  I  have  personally  investigated  the  facts  and  I  spent  some  time  there 
last  year,  and  there  can  be  no  question  but  that  the  right  kind  of  community  build- 
ing, such  as  has  been  carried  on  at  Port  Sunlight  and  by  the  Krupp  Corporation,  and 
at  certain  other  places  on  the  Continent,  is  followed  by  excellent  results.  I  would 
say  that  what  has  been  done  at  Essen  establishes  the  principle  to  be  followed  here. 
This  principle  of  municipal  action,  however,  cannot  easily  be  carried  into  effect  ex- 
cept under  the  proper  co-ordination  of  philanthropy  and  governmental  power,  com- 
bined with  business  opportunities,  such  as  Lever  Bros,  had  at  Liverpool.  This  firm 
combined  opportunities  for  work  with  opportunities  for  the  most  homelike  mode  of 
living,  and  they  increased  on  the  one  hand  the  birth  rate  and  on  the  other  reduced 
the  death  rate,  thus  preventing  the  needless  loss  of  life  of  the  most  desirable  class  of 
citizens. 

Q.  You  would  say  that  with  healthy  living  conditions  here  in  New  York  we 
would  both  increase  the  birth  rate  and  decrease  the  death  rate? 

A.  Unless  you  do  improve  room  accommodations,  I  do  not  believe  you  will  ever 
increase  the  birth  rate. 

Q.     Alderman  Dujat:    W^hat  do  you  think  the  cause  of  this? 

A.  Those  who  know  most  about  the  birth  rate  of  London  agree  that  the  decline 
in  the  birth  rate  is  due,  almost  entirely,  to  artificial  restriction,  but  we  rnust  consider 
that  artificial  restriction  may  be  in  a  large  measure  the  result  of  artificial  condi- 
tions of  life,  and  that  immorality  and  low  vitality  may  go  together  as  cause  and  ef- 
fect. If  we  do  not  furnish  enough  room  for  the  people  to  live  a  decent  family  life, 
I  think  the  effect  on  the  mind  must  be  profound  in  causing  serious  anticipation  as 
to  what  the  future  conditions  will  be  if  there  is  a  larger  family,  for  which  the  room 
space  under  normal  conditions  of  city  life  is  insufficient.  The  statistics  of  Berlin 
prove  conclusively  that  the  mortality  of  those  living  in  one  room  was  much  greater 
than  in  the  case  of  those  who  had  sufficient  living  accomrnodations  in  two,  three  or 
four  rooms.  The  statistics  of  Budapest  prove  that  epidemic  diseases  were  decidedly 
more  common  among  those  who  lived  on  dirty  premises  than  among  those  who  lived 
on  clean  premises.  In  the  case  of  a  cholera  epidemic  the  respective  rates  of  mortality 
were  90  cases  per  10,000  for  the  population  living  in  clean  houses,  against  420  for 
those  living  in  dirty  houses. 

The  mortality  of  those  living  in  cellar  dwellings  or  basements  has  invariably 
been  found  to  be  excessive.  In  the  city  of  Trieste  the  number  of  cholera  cases  were 
9  per  1,000  for  those  living  in  basements  and  cellars,  compared  with  5  to  the  thou- 
sand  for  those  living  in  the  first   story.     If  you  were  to  be  told   of  what  were  the 


170 

sanitary  conditions  of  this  city  40  years  ago,  you  would  not  think  it  possible,  any 
more  than  will  the  people  fifty  years  hence  accept  as  a  standard  the  housing  condi- 
tions of  the  city  to-day.  We  consider  it  inhuman  to-day  that  even  the  very  poor 
should  live  in  cellar  dwellings  underground,  without  light,  good  air  and  dryness, 
which  is  so  essential  for  good  health,  yet  little  was  thought  of  this  sixty  or  seventy 
years  ago.  Just  so  will  the  standards  of  life,  housing  and  working  conditions  in  the 
future  differ  from  the  conditions  accepted  as  tolerable  and  conducive  to  longevity 
at  the  present  day. 

The  most  conclusive  modern  data  concerning  the  relation  of  morbidity  and  mor- 
tality to  overcrowding  are  the  statistics  of  Glasgow  for  the  year  ending  June  30, 
1908.  There  was  an  epidemic  of  measles  that  year  and  the  morbidity  of  children 
under  one  in  the  families  living  in  one  room  apartments  was  125  per  1,000,  against 
102  for  those  living  in  two  room  apartments,  27.5  in  three  room  apartments,  and  11.1 
in  four  room  apartments  and  upwards.  At  age  2  the  corresponding  rates  were  232 
for  one  room  apartments,  197  for  two  room  apartments,  54  for  three  room  apart- 
ments, and  30  for  four  room  apartments.  Similar  results  were  observed  at  older 
ages. 

In  Glasgow  they  have  been  giving  a  great  deal  of  attention  to  this  question  of 
housing  and  the  effect  on  tuberculosis  has  been  observed  by  Dr.  J.  B.  Russell  and 
Dr.  Fife.     Dr.  Russell  has  very  well  said  in  regard  to  this  question : 

"A  copious  supply  of  pure  air  and  distribution  of  direct  and  diffused  sunlight 
within  and  without  the  dwelling  are  not  only  wholesome  to  man,  but  are  directly 
fatal  to  the  bacilli  distributed  outside  of  the  animal  body.  Sunlight  is  the  only  disin- 
fectant which  sustains  the  man  while  it  kills  the  microbe.  Therefore,  whatever  with- 
draws from  the  air  we  breathe  impurity  of  smoke,  or  dust,  or  foul  exhalation,  and 
from  the  sky  above  us  that  canopy  of  smoke  which  reduces  our  sunshine  to  twi- 
light, everything  which  promotes  free  motion  of  air  without  and  within  tlie  house, 
every  by-law  which  regulates  the  width  of  the  street,  the  height  of  the  houses,  the 
arrangement  of  the  buildings,  so  as  to  offer  no  obstruction  to  the  winds,  and  to  secure 
as  much  light  and  as  little  shadow  in  the  hours  of  daylight  as  possible,  which  pro- 
motes the  access  of  the  sun's  rays  to  dwellings,  and  helps  to  make  the  sky  visible 
from  the  floor  of  all  inhabited  rooms,  which  widens  and  brightens  lobbies  and  stair- 
cases in  tenements,  which  prevents  dampness  of  foundations  and  walls,  every  regu- 
lation which  checks  overcrowding  both  in  the  house  and  work  place,  which  protects 
the  artificer  from  irritation  dust  and  fumes  and  secures  to  workers  of  every  degree 
and  kind  natural  light  and  pure  air  in  the  place  of  their  emploj'ment,  are  all'  precau- 
tions against  tuberculosis." 

It  is  obvious,  of  course,  that  fresh  air  is  essential,  that  it  must  be  had  in  order 
to  decrease  the  death  rate,  that  overcrowding  does  increase  it,  and  unless  we  do 
have  more  light,  air,  sunlight,  etc.,  we  shall  not  stamp  out  tuberculosis,  but  rather 
increase  it  and  with  it  the  general  death  rate.  I  think,  therefore,  I  have  fully  an- 
swered your  last  question  in  the  affirmative. 

Q.     What  is  the  minimum  cubic  air  space  that  should  be  provided? 

A.  I  do  not  feel  that  I  possess  sufficient  information  on  that  point.  Of  course, 
I  know  that  it  is  generally  considered  that  3,000  cubic  feet  per  hour  is  required,  but 
it  is  quite  probable  that  even  as  small  a  proportion  as  1,000  cubic  feet  will  be  suffi- 
cient to  maintain  a  reasonable  state  of  health.  From  what  I  know  about-  it.  there 
is  a  considerable  variety  of  information  on  this  subject,  and  it  is  largely  a  question 
of  the  air  supply,  as  well  as  the  quantity  and  the  conditions  under  which  life  is  lived. 
If  in  a  state  of  muscular  inactivity,  I  should  consider  the  required  amount  less,  and 
in  a  state  of  muscular  activity  probably  more,  but  to  answer  your  question  intelli- 
gently I  do  not  posses  the  necessar)'  scientific  information. 

Q.  What  changes  in  the  present  tenement  house  law  and  building  law  relating 
to  hygienic  and  sanitary  construction  would  you  suggest? 

A.  My  answer  to  that  is  practically  the  same  as  to  the  last  question.  That  is  a 
problem  for  architects  and  experts  on  housing  conditions,  model  tenement  construc- 
tion, room  accommodations,  etc.,  and  not  for  one  untrained  in  that  line  of  work. 
I  would  like  to  say  this  much,  however,  that  the  mortality  in  rear  tenements,  or  what 
they  call  in  England  back-to-back  houses,  is  almost  invariably  excessive.  In  my  in- 
vestigation of  the  sanitary  conditions  of  the  Trinity  Corporation  tenements,  prac- 
tically all  the  elements  of  the  present  problem  were  brought  to  my  attention,  and  it 
was  made  very  clear  to  me  that  conclusions  should  only  be  arrived  at  after  a  careful 
inquiry  into  the  facts.  I  had  a  census  made  of  the  Trinity  population  and  I  had 
obtained  the  official  death  rate  from  the  New  York  Board  of  Health  for  five  years, 
and  I  found  by  an  exact  comparison  that  the  Trinity  death  rate  was  actually  lower 
by  several  points  than  the  rate  of  the  sanitary  district  in  which  the  tenements  were 
located.    It  is  easy  to  make  suggestions  on  this  question,  but  they  are  often  extremely 


171 

<lifficult  to  carry  into  effect,   without  the  expenditure  of  much  money,  which  would 
materially  increase  the  rent  item. 

Q.  To  what  extent  do  you  attribute  the  prevalence  of  tuberculosis  in  New  York 
City  to  the  housing  conditions? 

A.  There  can  he  no  question  of  doubt  but  that  tuberculosis  in  New  York  City 
is  due,  to  a  considerable  extent,  in  more  or  less  exact  proportion  to  overcrowding, 
want  of  proper  ventilation,  want  of  direct  sunlight,  exposure  and  infected  interior 
rooms.  While  it  is  held  that  infection  disappears  from  dwellings  after  about  six 
months,  this,  I  take  it,  presupposes  exposure  to  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun.  In  any 
event,  the  relation  of  overcrowding  to  tuberculosis  has  been  precisely  established  by 
Sir  Shirley  Murphy,  who  has  brought  out  the  fact  that  in  London  the  death  rate 
from  phthisis  steadily  increased  with  the  proportion  of  the  population  living  more 
than  two  in  a  room  in  tenements  comprising  less  than  five  rooms.  In  districts  in 
which  this  proportion  was  under  10  per  cent,  the  tuberculosis  death  rate  per  10,000 
of  population  was  11.1,  in  districts  in  which  the  proportion  was  from  20  to  25  per 
cent,  the  death  rate  was  17.7,  and  in  districts  in  which  the  proportion  was  over  35 
per  cent.,  the  rate  was  25.9.  Upon  this  point  it  has  been  said  by  Sir  Shirley  Murphy 
in  his  annual  report  upon  the  health  of  London  for  1898,  that  "There  is  obviously  a 
relation  between  the  amount  of  overcrowding  and  the  phthisis  death  rate.  The  fig- 
ures do  not,  however,  suffice  to  show  whether  the  overcrowding  caused  phthisis,  or 
whether  the  disease,  by  adding  to  family  expenditure,  or  by  diminishing  the  wage- 
earning  power,  left  less  money  available  for  rent,  and  this  brought  about  the  over- 
crowding, or  whether,  again,  overcrowding  is  associated  with  some  other  condition, 
or  conditions,  favorable  to  disease.  In  all  probability,  all  these  circumstances  have 
tended  to  produce  results."  Of  course,  no  figures  of  this  kind  must  be  taken  as  en- 
tirely conclusive  concerning  one  single  cause  responsible  for  a  particular  condition, 
but,  to  say  the  least,  the  foregoing  percentages  are  extremely  suggestive. 

If  I  quote  from  foreign  documents,  it  is  because  we  have  no  corresponding  data 
for  this  country  at  the  present  time.  We  have  no  police  control  over  the  movements 
of  our  population,  such  as  they  have  in  many  foreign  countries,  and  by  means  of 
which  we  could  secure  the  required  information. 

Q.  What,  in  your  judgment,  would  it  cost  to  cure  those  now  sick  with  tubercu- 
losis in  the  city,  and  to  make  them  able  to  continue  their  work  without  danger  to 
themselves  and  others? 

A.  In  my  opinion,  it  would  be  impossible  to  even  approximately  estimate  the 
financial  cost  of  curing  those  now  sick  with  tuberculosis  in  the  City  of  New  York 
and  to  make  them  able  to  continue  their  work  without  danger  to  themselves  and 
others.  Obviously,  this  end  can  only  be  obtained  by  institutional  isolation  of  all  cases, 
even  the  slightly  affected,  or  by  providing  ideal  home  conditions,  including  a  thor- 
oughly effective  method  of  nursing,  diet,  etc.,  the  cost  of  which  is  practically  pro- 
hibitive. All  institutional  experience  with  the  cure  of  consumption  which  has  been 
had  in  this  country  or  abroad  proves  that  even  in  the  case  of  incipient  patients  the 
stay  in  the  sanatorium  should  not  be  less  than  three  months,  and,  if  possible,  as  long 
on  the  average  as  six  months.  At  a  minimum  cost  of  $1.00  a  day,  that  would  mean 
an  expense  of  about  $200,  to  say  nothing  of  the  expense  necessary  to  establish  the 
required  institutional  conditions.  It  has  been  proven,  however,  that  patients  who 
had  been  treated  90  days  and  had  been,  apparently,  cured,  after  six  months'  return 
to  the  old  mode  of  life  and  surroundings  relapsed  to  their  former  condition  and 
returned  for  further  treatment  to  the  institutions.  It  seems  to  me  that  patients  should, 
if  possible,  be  treated  for  nine  months,  or  even  a  year,  but  I  am  not  prepared,  how- 
ever, to  suggest  any  feasible  plan  to  carry  out  such  a  suggestion.  I  do  not  believe 
that  anyone  could  estimate,  even  approximately,  what  it  would  cost,  but,  in_  any 
event,  the  sum  would  be  enormous.  I  may  say  that  at  Loomisthey  have  established 
a  system  of  keeping  trace  of  their  patients  and  they  have  gone  into  the  entire  history 
of  the  treatment  of  former  patients,  so  that  in  a  year  or  two  there  will  be  results  to 
prove  on  the  one  hand  the  actual  cost  of  institutional  treatment  and  on  the  other 
the  economic  results  achieved. 

Q.  Do  you  consider  it  safe  for  a  person  who  has  had  consumption  to  live  in 
the  ordinary  interior  rooms  of  tenements? 

A.  I  am  decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  it  is  not  safe  for  a  person  who  has  had 
consumption  to  live  in  the  ordinary  interior  rooms  of  tenements,  nor,  for  that  mat- 
ter, do  I  consider  it  entirely  safe  for  a  heathy  person  to  do  so.  I  conceive  the  term 
"interior  rooms"  to  mean  rooms  without  any  direct  sunlight  exposure. 

Q.  Do  you  think  it  possible  by  fumigation,  or  other  treatment,  even  re-papering, 
whitewashing  and  painting,  to  kill  the  bacilli  of  tuberculosis  in  dark  or  interior 
rooms,  to  which  direct  sunshine  never  penetrates? 


172 

A.  I  do  not  think  it  absolutely  safe  and  entirely  possible,  by  fumigation,  or  other 
methods,  even  re-iiapering,  whitewashing  and  painting,  to  kill  the  bacilli  of  tubercu- 
losis in  dark  or  interior  rooms  into  which  the  direct  sunlight  never  penetrates,  except 
at  a  very  considerable  expense,  which  would  be  totally  disproportionate  to  the  rent- 
ing value  of  the  rooms.  Even  if  this  is  conceded  to  be  theoretically  possible,  it  would 
not  seem  to  be  actually  feasible.  In  my  opinion,  it  would  be  decidedly  dangerous  for 
a  person  predisposed  to  consumption,  or  suffering  from  consumption  in  the  incipient 
stage  of  the  disease,  to  live  in  interior  rooms  to  which  direct  sunlight  never  pene- 
trates. 

I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  city  would  be  justified  and  perhaps  in  duty  bound 
to  declare  such  rooms  entirely  unfit  for  human  occupancy  for  sleeping  purposes,  but 
I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  such  rooms  cannot  be  utilized  for  a  large  variety  of 
business  purposes,  but,  in  any  event,  this  would  be  a  question  for  individual  con- 
sideration of  the  actual  facts,  which  necessarily  would  vary  in  many  cases. 

Q.  From  the  standpoint  of  conserving  the  health  of  the  citizens,  do  you  think 
night  inspection  of  tenements  or  apartments  renting  for  less  than  $15.00  to  $18.00 
per  month   to  prevent  overcrowding  justifiable? 

A.  No,  I  do  not  think  it  would  be  advisable  to  institute  a  system  of  night  in- 
spection of  any  tenements  or  apartments  renting  for  less  than  $14.00  to  $18.00  a 
month,  to  prevent  overcrowding.  I  believe  that  it  would  be  proper  for  the  police, 
upon  trustworthy  information,  to  ascertain  the  facts  of  overcrowding  in  individual 
instances,  even  by  night  inspection,  but  such  inspection  would  not,  perhaps,  be  neces- 
sary if  a  rule  were  adopted  whereby  permission  to  have  lodgers  would  have  to  be 
granted  by  the  Board  of  Health,  within  a  reasonable  limit  of  the  room  space  to  be 
occupied.  I  believe  that  the  home  is  the  private  domain  of  every  man  and  it  should 
not  be  subjected  to  such  an  inspection,  unless  for  the  specific  reasons  that  might  be 
given  to  the  police,  and  then  an  investigation  should  be  made,  but  a  general  system 
of  night  inspection,  such  as  has  been  suggested,  would  be  a  great  hardship  on  many 
occupants  of  these  cheap  apartments,  for  which  there  would  be  no  justification  at 
all. 

Q.  To  what  extent  tc  you  attribute  the  fact  that  New  York's  death  rate  is  higher 
than  that  of  London,  Berlin  and  several  American  cities,  to  the  housing  condi- 
tions? 

A.  I  am  not  prepared  to  admit  that  the  corrected  death  rate  of  New  York  City 
at  the  present  time  is  really  higher  than  the  corresponding  death  rates  of  London  and 
Berlin.  The  crude  death  rate  is  at  best  of  doubtful  validity  in  international  com- 
parison, for  the  rate  is  governed  by  the  age,  sex,  race,  nativity,  and  occupation  dis- 
tribution of  the  population,  which,  of  course,  is  fundamentally  different  in  the  case 
of  New  York,  compared  with  London  and  Berlin.  We  know  it  to  be  a  fact  that 
certain  races  and  nativities  have  a  decidedly  higher  death  rate  than  others,  and,  other 
things  equal,  the  death  rate  of  the  foreign  born  is  much  higher  than  the  death  rate 
of  the  native  born._  We  know  that  this  excess  is  often  due  to  housing  conditions, 
but  unsanitary  housing,  in  all  cases,  tends  to  increase  the  excess  in  the  death  rate  par- 
ticularly in  the  case  of  young  children  and  the  aged.  For  illustration,  according  to 
the  census  of  1900,  the  death  rate  of  native  born  Americans  in  the  registration  area 
of  the  United  States  per  1,000,  ages  15  and  over,  were  as  follows,  compared  with 
those  of  Irish,  German,  Italian  and  Scandinavian  parentage,  respectively : 


Parentage.  15-24        25-34        35-44        45-64    65  and  over. 

United    States    5.0  6.4  7.5  14.6  65.9 

Ireland    7.5  12.2  15.0  30.6  96.9 

Germany    4.8  7.4  9.6  20.3  81.8 

Italv    6.6  7.1  9.2  17.2  66.1 

Scandinavia    5.7  7.4  9.0  16.9  67.3 

In  1909  the  death  rate  of  New  York  City,  as  determined  by  the  Registrar-General 
of  London,  and  not  as  by  the  New  "li'ork  Board  of  Health,  was  given  as  16.2  to  the 
thousand,  whereas  for  London  it  was  14.0,  but  if  you  compare  the  death  rate  of 
1885  to  that  of  1901  to  1905,  the  London  death  rate  decreased  23  per  cent,  and  New 
York  City  31  per  cent.,  so  that  we  arc  making,  apparently  at  least,  a  considerable 
progress,  regardless  of  our  large  foreign  and  negro  population.  Now,  for  illustra- 
tion, we  might  have  a  community  where  the  death  rate  would  be  12.0  to  the  thou- 
sand, which  would  be  high,  if  in  that  community  the  majority  were  young  men  of 
an  age  of  19  to  20  years,  such  as  at  a  military  school,  for  instance,  and  then  we  might 
have  a  death  rate  of  50  to  the  thousand,  which  would  be  low  if  the  population  con- 


173 

sisted  chiefly  of  old  people,  as,  for  illustration,  at  a  veteran  soldiers'  home,  or  home 
for  the  aged. 

Q.  Would  you  make  any  comparison  of  the  death  rate  of  negroes  here  and 
those  in  small  rural  districts,  or  Jews  and  Slavs,  etc.? 

A.  With  reference  to  the  Jews  of  New  York  City,  Dr.  Billings  made  a  census 
of  certain  districts  and  found  that,  in  spite  of  the  unhealthy  surroundings,  the  Jews 
at  that  time  had  the  lowest  death  rate  in  New  York  City,  while  in  other  districts 
where  we  might  have  expected  a  lower  death  rate,  as,  for  instance,  among  the  Irish, 
he  found  it  a  great  deal  higher  than  among  the  Jews.  In  the  case  of  Italian  children, 
it  has  been  proved  beyond  a  doubt  that  those  of  the  second  generation  are  consti- 
tutionally ill-adapted  to  this  climate.  Dr.  Irving  Snow,  of  Buffalo,  is  an  authority 
on  this  question  and  he  has  gone  into  it  as  far  as  it  seems  necessary  to  prove  that 
the  second  generation  suffer  seriously  from  bronchial  troubles,  etc.  He  holds  that 
the  climate  of  New  York  is  so  different  from  that  of  Sicily  and  Naples  that  there 
is  a  great  deal  of  suffering  among  the  Italian  children  on  this  acount,  and  the  ma- 
jority of  them  suffer  from  bronchial  troubles,  and  respiratory  diseases  generally.  Of 
course,  we  all  know  that  the  sanitary  conditions  of  New  York  City  can  be  improved, 
and  with  such  improvements  as  could  be  made,  and  with  safety  devices  in  our  fac- 
tories, proper  housing  and  ventilation,  and  effective  methods  of  dust  removal,  there 
is  really  no  calculable  rational  limit  to  the  average  attainable  age.  A  much  larger 
number  and  proportion  ought  to  live  to  old  age,  even  to  a  hundred  years,  and  more, 
and  the  tendency  seems  to  be  that  way,  for  the  death  rate  of  New  York  City  appears 
to  be  declining  at  a  greater  rate  of  decrease  than  the  death  rate  of  large  European 
cities. 

Q.  What  measures,  to  counteract  the  physical  results  of  room  overcrowding 
and  congestion  of  population,  would  you  suggest? 

A.  I  am  decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  among  the  most  important  measures^  to 
counteract  the  physical  results  of  room  overcrowding  and  congestion  of  population 
are,  first,  more  open  spaces,  chiefly  in  the  form  of  grass  plots,  to  serve  as  play- 
grounds for  children,  provided  with  some  simple  gj^mnastic  apparatus,  benches,  etc., 
not  entailing  any  considerable  expense  for  care-taking,  if  any,  upon  the  city.  I  also 
am  of  the  opinion  that  playgrounds  should  be  open  on  Sunday,  with  easy  accessibility 
to  the  use  of  all  the  gy^mnastic  apparatus  provided,  and  not  only  on  week-days,  as  is 
the  present  rule.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  roofs  of  a  large  number  of  our  buildings 
could  be  utilized  to  much  better  advantage  than  they  are  at  the  present  time,  and 
many  such  buildings  might  be  connected  by  overhead  passageways,  or  bridges,  to 
increase  the  possibilities  for  outdoor  exercise,  to  be  closed,  of  course,  at  night,  to 
prevent  abuse. 

There  is  urgent  need  of  im.proved  methods  of  artificial  ventilation,  particularly 
in  public  buildings,  including  schools,  and  of  self-registering  apparatus,  to  indicate 
the  maximum  and  minimum  temperatures  in  schools,  factories,  stores,  offices,  etc.. 
so  as  to  call  attention  to  departures  from  normal  conditions  favorable  to  health  and 
longevity,  and  any  teacher  in  a  school  who  permitted  the  temperature  of  a  room  to 
deviate  from  the  normal  should  be  held  accountable  by  the  Board  of  Health.  Much 
can  also  be  done  to  reduce  the  smoke,  the  noise,  and  the  dust  nuisances,_  and  a  more 
careful  and  qualified  medical  examination  of  children  at  work  and  in  school  is 
urgently  needed.  The  Massachusetts  system  of  medical  factory  inspection  of  chil- 
dren has,  in  this  respect,  decided  advantages. 

Further  than  this,  I  am  not  prepared  to  make  definite  suggestion  since  the  whole 
question  of  improved  housing  is  one  for  architects  and  other  experts  on  the  sub- 
ject. It  has  occurred  to  me,  however,  chiefly  on  the  basis  of  European  investigations, 
that  we  have  not  realized  a  definite  working  theory  of  controlling  the  methods  of 
house-building  and  particularly  the  development  of  the  suburban  sections  of  our 
large  cities.  It  is  self-evident  that  the  central  portions  of  our  principal  cities  are 
becoming  more  and  more  economic  and  that  the  residence  portion  should,  therefore, 
lie  outside  of  a  given  zone.  The  ideal  that  has  been  achieved  at  Port  Sunlight  and 
similar  places  in  England,  and  by  the  Krupp  Corporation,  at  Essen,  suggests  at  least 
the  direction  in  which  the  housing  problem  in  America  may  ultimately  find  its  best 
solution.  In  any  event,  I  am  absolutely  satisfied  that  property  considerations  and  so- 
called  rights  and  privileges  of  landlords  and  tenants  are  secondary  to  the  conservation 
of  the  health  and  life  of  all  the  people  who  make  up  a  community,  and  that  since  they 
are  more  or  less  helpless  in  controlling  the  deleterious  effect  of  an_  unfavorable  en- 
vironment, they  may  rightfully  insist  upon  adequate  protection  in  this  respect  on  the 
part  of  the  municipality. 

Q.  Are  you  willing  to  state  what  you  would  suggest  as  the  ordinary  occupancy 
of  rooms,  Vyi  or  2  people  to  a  room? 


174 

A.  For  practical  purposes  we  who  live  in  our  own  homes  and  have  children  would 
not  put  more  than  three  people  in  a  room,  if  possible  to  avoid  it,  but  I  should  think 
that  under  certain  conditions  and  circumstances,  even  four  people  may  live  in  a 
good  sized  room,  with  a  proper  regard  to  the  decencies  of  life. 

Q.  You  do,  of  course,  where  land  values  permit,  think  it  advisable  and  beneficial, 
that  families  should,  where  possible,  live  in  two-family  houses,  where  they  have  more 
room. 

A.  Unquestionably.  I  am  willing  to  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  it  is  not  only  neces- 
sary, but  the  duty  of  every  large  American  city  like  New  York,  absolutely  to  control 
factory  and  building  operations  within  a  radius  of,  say,  fifteen  miles  of  its  centre,  as  a 
reasonable  transportation  distance,  and  the  city  failing  to  discharge  this  duty  is  guilty 
of  serious  neglect  towards  the  most  desirable  class  of  its  citizens. 

Q.  Are  there  any  sections  here  in  New  York  City  where  the  insurance  companies 
refuse  to  take  risks? 

A.  The  answer  is  that  there  are  no  such  sections,  but  some  of  the  companies  re- 
quire that  the  business  operations  in  large  cities  shall  be  carried  on  with  a  due  regard 
to  the  specific  death  rate  in  particular  sections,  and  that  the  actual  conditions,  moral 
and  otherwise,  as  they  are  known  to  the  managing  officials,  shall  be  considered,  and 
they  do  not  permit  the  insuring  of  persons  who  fail  to  conform  to  a  reasonable  stand- 
ard as  to  what  constitutes  an  insurable  risk,  and  if  they  find  that  "the  agents"  write 
business  in  houses  that  are  not  fit  for  human  habitation  they  take  cognizance  of  the  fact 
and  see  that  it  does  not  occur  again.  There  have  been  some  such  cases,  but  the  ques- 
tion is  asked  in  the  application  blanks  as  to  whether  the  applicant  lives  in  a  front  or 
rear  tenement,  and  when  the  report  is  unfavorable  as  to  the  environments,  the  case  is 
declined. 

You  will  find  some  of  the  best  kind  of  people  living  in  poor  sections  sometimes, 
and  I  found  this  to  be  the  case  in  the  Trinity  Corporation  tenements,  where  a  good 
class  of  tenants  had  been  living  in  rather  deteriorated  tenements  for  forty  and  fifty 
years.  It  was  their  home;  they  would  not  move  out,  and  when  it  was  considered  at  one 
time  desirable  to  tear  down  some  of  these  tenements  these  same  people  requested  that 
it  should  not  be  done  during  their  lifetime — as  a  matter  of  sentiment,  no  doubt,  but 
sentiment  rules  the  world.  It  is  just  the  same  in  every  city;  for  some  reason  or  other, 
you  will  find  desirable  people  living  in  poor  districts,  and  the  responsibility  for  doing 
so  should  not  rest  on  these  people,  but  on  the  community  that  permits  the  worst  class 
of  people  to  pollute  and  spoil  a  neighborhood. 

We  lay  much  of  the  blame  of  the  conditions  in  New  York  on  the  foreign  element 
we  have  here,  but  the  city  could  be  made  beautiful  and  a  more  healthy  place  to  live  if 
the  people,  as  a  whole,  and  as  a  matter  of  duty  and  pride,  took  the  matter  more  in  hand. 
Just  consider  how  they  do  these  things  in  Dusseldorf  and  Frankfort,  in  Germany. 
Those  two  cities  are  beautiful  and  they  have  actually  been  rebuilt  in  the  past  fifty 
years.  They,  too,  have  a  foreign  element  in  Germany,  but  the  cities  are  developed  in 
conformity  to  a  plan  whereby  the  best  architects,  the  best  brains  of  the  country,  are 
used  for  the  betterment  of  housing  and  other  conditions.  Our  chief  trouble  is  that 
our  reform  movements  are  usually  suggested  by  a  group  of  men  who  want  to  do  some- 
thing, but  really  do  not  know  how,  and  who  finally  suggest  a  plan  or  measure  repre- 
senting a  compromise,  or  plan  not  practical  or  feasible.  If  these  same  people  would 
come  forward  with  a  well-thought-out  plan,  similar  to  those  which  underlie  the  devel- 
opment of  German  cities,  no  one  could  raise  serious  objections,  for  the  suggested 
measure  or  plan  would  rest  upon  the  needs  of  the  people  and  conform  to  the  best 
judgment  of  qualified  and  impartial  minds.  The  time  has  certainly  come  for  New 
York  to  adopt  a  definite  plan  of  city  development,  in  place  of  the  present  apathy,  chaos 
and  hopeless,  aimless  drift. 

B — Statement  by  Mr.  Wilbur  C.  Phillips,  Secretary  of  the  Nezv  York  Milk  Committee. 

There  is  a  vital  relation  between  congestion  and  infant  mortality.  There  are  about 
125,000  babies  born  in  New  York  annually,  and  about  16,000 — one  in  every  eight — die. 

The  Milk  Committee  made  a  study,  two  years  ago,  of  infant  mortality  in  three 
sections  of  the  city,  taking  the  same  number  of  people  in  each  section — in  the  wealthy 
section,  28  blocks  on  the  upper  West  Side ;  in  5  blocks  near  Lenox  ave.,  and  in  three 
tenement  blocks  in  the  lower  East  Side — during  the  two  hottest  weeks  in  the  year. 

In  the  28  upper  West  Side  blocks  there  were  no  deaths,  and  in  the  5  middle  city 
blocks  no  deaths  of  infants,  but  in  the  lower  East  Side  tenements,  16  deaths  of 
infants,  and  if  the  rate  had  continued  it  would  have  wiped  out  all  the  infants.  In 
case  of  infants  fed  at  the  breast,  the  death  rate  is  much  lower  than  for  those  arti- 
ficially fed.  A  large  number  of  deaths  of  infants  occur  in  congested  districts  of 
the  city. 

In  357  cases  of  mothers  in  care  of  the  Milk  Committee  eight-tenths  of  one  per 


175 

cent  paid  less  than  $5  per  month  for  rent;  60  5-10  per  cent  paid  from  $5  to  $15; 
26  9-10  per  cent  over  $15  per  month. 

Mortality  rate  in  the  city  is  130  per  1,000  among  infants  under  one  year  of  age. 

In  413  cases  under  care  of  the  Milk  Committee  4.8  per  cent  live  in  one  room.; 
12.6  per  cent  in  two  rooms;  47.5  per  cent  in  three  rooms;  26.4  per  cent  in  four  rooms; 
6.3  per  cent  in  five  rooms ;  2.4  per  cent  in  six  rooms  or  over. 

The  first  experiment  in  supplying  instruction  to  mothers  in  hygiene  was  made 
by  the  Association  for  Improving  the  Condition  of  the  Poor;  then  at  last  the  Board 
of  Health  took  up  the  matter.  . 

It  is  better  to  have  nurses  who  educate  the  mothers  connected  with  the  distri- 
bution of  milk.  One  hundred  and  forty-one  nurses,  paid  by  the  Board  of  Health, 
were  employed  from  June  to  September  for  this  purpose  in  1910.  Depot  nurses 
should  keep  office  hours  one  to  two  hours  a  day,  and  the  rest  of  the  time  visit 
sick  babies  and  have  meetings  with  the  mothers.  To  distribute  milk  on  a  small 
scale  is  very  expensive.     Each  distributing  center  should  be  run  to  its  full  capacity. 

Of  1,600,000  quarts  of  fluid  milk,  which  is  brought  to  New  York  City  daily, 
only  about  60,000  is  in  bottles. 

There  are  40,000  to  45,000  farms  from  which  milk  is  sent  for  New  York  City 
to  be  inspected,  and  the  present  force  of  the  Board  of  Health  is  inadequate  for  this 
purpose. 

Milk  brought  to  a  pasteurizing  plant  should  have  a  certain  standard  of  purity. 
Milk  must  be  furnished  to  the  poor  at  a  reasonable  cost. 

Milk  could  be  certified  and  marked  "Baby's  Milk,"  or  "Safe  Milk,"  and  sold  for 
15  cents,  while  pasteurized  milk  would  be  safe  if  sold  at  9  cents  per  quart. 

About  500,000  or  600,000  quarts  per  day  would  be  sufficient  for  all  children  under 
5  years  of  age  in  the  city,  as  children  use,  ordinarily,  one  quart  per  day,  or  one  and 
one-quarter  quarts. 

C — Statement  by  Dr.   Wm.  H.  Parks,  of  the  Department  of  Health. 

Question :  What  is  the  relation  between  room  overcrowding  and  mortality  rates, 
Dr.  Parks? 

Answer :  I  can  state,  from  my  own  knowledge,  that  the  more  overcrowding 
you  have  the  more  sickness  and  deaths  there  will  be.  As  to  the  actual  amount  of  such 
increase  I  have  no  statistics  and  so  cannot  state  definitely.  It  is  the  opinion  of  all 
who  have  studied  this  question  that  we  have  increased  sickness  in  overcrowded 
rooms  and  increased  mortality  among  those  sick.  Not  only  more  sick,  but  of  those 
that  are  sick  more  deaths.    This  is  especially  true  of  communicable  diseases. 

Q.     What  diseases  would  you  include  in  that  term? 

A.  Tuberculosis,  diphtheria,  measles,  scarlet  fever,  cerebro-spinal  meningitis, 
etc.,  i.  e.,  especially  the  diseases  in  which  the  contagion  is  spread  by  the  mouth  and 
nasal  secretions.  The  closer  people  live  together  the  easier  it  is  to  spread  infection 
one  from  the  other.  This  may  be  by  direct  contact,  by  eating  utensils,  by  flies  and 
other  sources.  Overcrowding  means  less  fresh  air  for  individuals  and,  therefore,  we 
now  know  less  chance   for  recovery. 

Q.  Have  you  any  recommendations  as  to  the  number  of  occupants  that  should 
be  permitted  in  a  room? 

A.  I  do  not  feel  that  I  have  sufficient  knowledge  to  make  a  recommendation. 
The  definite  study  of  this  matter  has  not  come  in  my  line.  If  possible,  not  more 
than  two  persons  should  sleep  in  the  ordinary  small  city  room. 

Q.     What  is  the  cubic  air  space  you  would  recommend? 

A.  I  should  recommend  that  persons  have,  as  near  as  possible,  1,000  cubic  feet 
of  air  space  if  their  means  will  permit  them  to  have  this  amount.  Those  that  are  sick 
need  more  air  than  those  that  are  well,  so  that  those  that  are  sick  should  have  all 
the  air  that  can  possibly  be  given  them. 

Q.  Alderman  Dujat — Would  you  suggest  that  a  man  in  the  first  stages  of  con- 
sumption should  be  placed  in  a  home  where  that  kind  of  people  are  taken  care  of? 

A.  I  think,  so  far  as  the  health  of  others  is  concerned,  it  is  very  important 
to  remove  those  that  are  even  in  the  early  stages  of  consumption.  Their  condi- 
tion may  make  this  inadvisable  or  impossible.  I  might  state  that  a  study  of  tubercu- 
losis in  young  children  shows  that  nearly  one-half  of  infected  children  have  contracted 
it  from  having  been  cared  for  by  a  tuberculous  nurse  or  parent. 

Q.  Is  it  not  true  that  the  lighting  of  working  rooms  in  factories  is  equally 
important  in  maintaining  healthy  conditions? 

A.  Yes,  1  think  it  is  equally  true,  depending,  of  course,  on  the  hours  spent  in 
such  a  place.  Should  a  person  have  to  spend  14  hours  in  such  a  place,  poorly  lighted, 
etc.,  it  would  tend  to  increase  rather  than  exterminate  tuberculosis.     We  all  know 


176 

that  a  person  can  remain  a  short  time  in  a  theatre  where  overcrowding  is  permitted 
without,  as  a  rule,  appreciable  bad  results. 

Q.     What  would  it  cost  to  cure  those  curable  cases  now  classed  as  consumption? 

A.  The  best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief  is  that  three-quarters  of  those  now 
known  to  have  consumption  will  die  without  regard  to  what  can  be  done  for  them, 
as  it  is  only  in  the  early  stages  that  recovery  is  possible  for  a  large  percentage;  so  that 
there  are  some  20,000  in  New  York  City  that  must  die  from  the  progress  of  the  disease 
they  now  have. 

•Q.     Are    those    mostly    adults? 

A.  Yes,  probably  90  per  cent  are  adults.  Most  fatal  cases  of  tuberculosis 
occur  either  in  the  hrst  year  of  life  or  after  reaching  adult  size. 

Q.  What  can  be  done  with  the  housing  proposition  to  handle  this  problem? 
Also  as  a  preventitive  when  the  family  is  a  specimen  for  charity,  when  the  bread- 
winner is  sick? 

A.  The  most  important  thing  is  to  supply  a  place  where  good  air  and  good  light 
can  be  got  and  away  from  the  crowded  city.  Next  to  that  give  them  rooms  with 
good  air  and  good  light  in  the  city  and  sufficient  suitable  food  if  they  cannot  afford 
it  themselves.  Every  case  removed  from  the  city  and  made  comfortable  itself 
will  remove  one  center  of  infection.  At  the  present  time  the  number  of  tuberculous 
cases  in  the  city  remains  the  same ;  that  is,  we  have  as  many  cases  each  year  as  the 
year  before.  This  means,  however,  less  percentage,  because  the  city  is  rapidly  in- 
creasing its  population. 

Q.  You  anticipate  about  the  same  number  of  deaths  annually,  10,000,  under 
our  present  method  of  treatment? 

A.  Yes,  unless  we  can  go  ahead  and  provide  a  place  outside  of  the  city.  It  will 
cost  about  $500  to  establish  each  bed,  and  I  imagine  it  would  cost  $1  per  day  for  care 
and  maintenance  for  each  person.  Of  course  this  low  cost  is  mentioned  to  cover  a 
large  number, 

Q.  If  you  removed  a  person  with  tuberculosis  from  a  dark  room  and  placed  a 
newly  arrived  immigrant  in  same,  do  you  think  it  should  be  repapered,  painted,  or 
something  of  that  sort  done  to  it? 

A.  It  should  be  cleaned  and  disinfected  and  then  would  be  safe  so  far  as  germs 
are  concerned.  If  the  immigrant  contracted  tuberculosis  elsewhere,  he  would  be 
more  likely  to  succumb  to  it  because  the  room  was  dark  and  would  be  more  likely  to 
infect  others  in  it. 

Q.  How  do  you  explain  that  we  have  so  many  new  cases  of  consumption  in  these 
dark  rooms? 

A.  My  opinion  is  that  our  knowledge  concerning  the  development  of  tuberculosis 
in  ordinary  houses  and  dark  rooms  is  extremely  limited,  because  this  class  of  people 
move  so  frequently  from  place  to  place  that  it  is  difficult  to  trace  the  origin  of  the 
disease.  When  secondary  cases  occur  among  members  of  a  family  living  together  with 
a  tuberculous  person  these  are  due  rather  to  personal  infection  than  to  the  infection 
in  the  room   itself. 

Q.  Do  you  consider  it  safe  for  a  person  who  has  had  consumption  to  live  in  ordi- 
nary interior  rooms  of  tenements? 

A.  Anyone  that  has  had  consumption  should  always  live  in  the  best  possible  con- 
ditions as  to  light  and  air  space.  It  is  even  dangerous  for  a  tuberculous  person  who 
has  recovered  after  leaving  the  city  to  return  to  it  and  go  back  into  office  work  or  any 
of  the  ordinary  city  occupations.  The  fact  that  a  person  has  had  consumption  proves 
that  he  was  susceptible  and  he  will  usually  remain  susceptible. 

D — Statement  by  Dr.   Woods  HntcJiiiison. 

Chairman  Dujat  put  the  following  questions  to  Dr.  Hutchinson : 

Q.     What  is  the  relation  between   room  overcrowding  and   mortality  rates? 

A.  Broadly  speaking,  the  mortality  rate  in  any  city  or  in  any  ward  varies  directly 
with  the  density  of  population,  the  higher  the  density  of  population  the  higher  the 
mortality.  Some  exceptions,  of  course,  but,  in  the  main,  that  is  one  of  the  axioms  of 
sanitation  that  the  death  rate  is  in  proportion  to  the  density  of  the  population.  It  is 
also  an  accepted  fact  that  the  size  and  weight  of  children  at  a  given  age  are  in  direct 
relation  to  the  number  in  a  room,  the  fewer  in  a  room,  the  taller  and  healthier  they  are. 

Q.     What  is  the  minimum  cubic  air  space  that  should  be  provided? 

A.  I  think  the  minimum  cubic  air  space  should  be  600  feet  for  adults  and  400 
cubic  feet  for  children  and,  better  yet,  1,000  cubic  feet  for  adults  and  600  feet  for 
children.  With  a  reasonable  flow  of  air  600  feet  would  make  it  moderately  healthy. 
This  also  would  apply  to  factories,  except  in  such  factories  as  are  giving  off  dust  and 
fumes,  where  800  to  1,000  feet  should  be  provided. 

Q.     In  your  judgment,  is  it  possible  to  exterminate  tuberculosis  if  occupancy,  either 


177 

for  living  or  working  purposes,  of  ordinary  interior  rooms  lighted  only  by  a  window 
from  an  outside  dark  room  which  has  itself  only  windows  onto  a  narrow  airshaft 
three  to  four  feet  wide  is  permitted? 

A.     No. 

Q.  What  changes  in  the  present  tenement  house  law  and  building  law  relating 
to  hygienic  and  sanitary  construction  would  yon   suggest? 

A.  I  think  there  should  be  such  changes  in  the  Tenement  House  Law,  or  in  the 
interpretation  of  the  law  as  to  prohibit  the  use  of  those  dark  rooms,  those  that  are 
technically  to  be  regarded  as  light  rooms,  those  that  open  into  another  room.  No  room 
in  which  it  is  not  possible  to  read  in  the  center  of  the  floor  during  all  hours  of  day- 
light is  fit  for  human  occupancy.  1  think  there  should  also  be  some  provision  in 
regard  to  the  number  of  individuals  of  different  sexes  occupying  the  same  room  other 
than  husband  and  wife;  also  that  there  should  be  provision  for  night  inspection  of 
certain  tenements  to  guard  against  this  overcrowding  of  sexes  in  the  same  rooms. 

Q.  To  what  extent  do  you  attribute  the  prevalence  of  tuberculosis  in  New  York 
to  the  housing  conditions? 

A.  I  should  say  that,  as  contrasted  with  other  cities,  the  housing  conditions  here 
played  a  very  considerable  part  in  the  prevalence  of  tuberculosis,  because  wages  are 
higher  here,  food  is  better,  hours  for  labor  are  shorter,  and  the  climate  is  better  than 
in  the  majority  of  great  European  cities  and  we  have  a  large  amount  of  sunlight  as 
compared  with  other  cities. 

Q.  What,  in  your  judgment,  would  it  cost  to  cure  those  now  sick  with  tubercu- 
losis in  the  city  and  to  make  them  able  to  continue  their  work  without  danger  to  them- 
selves or  others? 

A.  It  would  cost  in  the  neighborhood  of  seven  to  ten  million  dollars  to  equip  the 
necessary  number  of  beds  for  all  those  now  sick  with  tuberculosis  in  New  York  City. 
The  maintenance  of  these  camps  and  hospitals  for  the  first  j-ear  would  be  about  five 
million  dollars,  but  would  rapidly  diminish  after  the  first  year.  Chicago  is  actually 
starting  such  a  campaign  of  extermination  now  and  trying  to  raise  the  money  neces- 
sary to  lift  every  case  out  of  the  city,  which  is  a  source  of  infection,  and  thus  prevent 
the  spread  of  the  disease  to  others.  We  have  10,000  deaths  each  year,  and  we  breed 
two  cases  from  every  case  in  the  city  each  j-ear. 

The  class  of  people  that  come  from  the  other  side  are,  as  a  whole,  a  healthy  and  a 
superior  class.  We  breed  two-thirds  of  our  consumption  right  here  in  this  city.  It 
is  absolutely  impossible  to  breed  consumption  in  the  open  air.  A  well-lighted  and  well- 
ventilated  room  is  practically  safe  to  live  in,  even  with  a  tuberculous  person.  It  is  not 
enough  merely  to  have  a  minimum  of  light  in  a  room,  but  it  is  essential  that  rooms 
should  have  abundance  of  light  to  make  them  sanitary.  A  dark  room  is  never  kept 
clean. 

Q.  Is  there  any  possible  method  that  you  would  suggest  by  which  the  Health 
Department  and  Tenement  House  Department  could  co-operate? 

A.  There  is  no  way  out  of  the  situation  except  for  the  two  Departments  to  work 
together.  I  think  it  would  be  perfectly  within  the  power  of  the  Health  Department 
to  declare  such  dark  rooms  nuisances  and  menaces  to  health,  and  they  should  be  shut 
up  as  though  they  were  poisoned  wells.  They  are  unfit  for  human  occupancy,  as  decent 
living  conditions  never  can  be  had  under  such  conditions. 

In  Chicago,  Dr.  Evans,  the  Health  Officer,  issues  orders  to  have  such  rooms  shut 
up  or  made  sanitary,  and  looks  up  the  number  of  deaths  from  consumption  and  diph- 
theria in  such  buildings  and  threatens  to  publish  the  name  in  the  papers  unless  his 
orders  are  obeyed.  As  a  result  of  this  method,  the  death  rate  in  Chicago  today  is 
lower  than  that  of  any  other  city  in  the  United  States  of  its  population. 


178 


Statistics  Showing  the  Relation  Between  Room  Overcrowding  and  Congestion 
OF  Population  per  Acre,  and  Mortality  Rates. 

-■/.     /;;  Xczi'  York  City. 

The  following  statement  is  quoted  from  a  paper,  "The  Eifects  of  Urban  Conges- 
tion on  Italian  Women  and  Children,"  by  Dr.  Antonio  Stella,  who  appeared  before 
the  Commission.  The  statistics  are  taken  from  an  investigation  made  by  the  Depart- 
ment of  Health  of  New  York  City  in  1907-8  and  from  the  State  Census  of  1905. 

While  the  general  death  rate  for  the  City  of  New  York  in  1905-6  for  all  ages 
was  18.35,  and  under  five  years  was  51.5,  in  some  of  the  various  Italian  blocks  here 
examined  it  was  respectively : 


Block. 


Density  of 

Population 

per  Acre 

in  1905. 


For  All 
Ages. 


Under  5 
Years. 


A  958 

B  1,107 

C  slightly    under  750 

D  slightly   under  750 

E  809 

F  975 


24.5 

24.9 

22.4 

22.57 

22.3 

23.2 


87.03 

92.2 

81.6 

74.7 

83.12 

59.5 


The  death  rate  for  1905-6  for  the  entire  City  for  those  under  five  years  in  the 
Italian  blocks  was  as  follows : 


For    Acute    Respira- 
tory Diseases.    City 
Death  Rate,  12.7. 
Italian  Blocks 


For  Diarrhoeal  Dis- 
eases.     City    Death 
Rate,  12.9. 
Italian  Blocks. 


For  Diphtheria.    City 

Death  Rate,  2.80. 

Italian  Blocks. 


A  32.9 

B  47.8 

C  35.3 

D  28.6 

E  49 

F  17.9 


A  22.3 

B  19.1 

C  17.6 

D  13.8 

E  19.3 

F  14.9 


A  4.34 

B  3.71 

C  4.61 

D  8.93 

E  3.20 


For  the  sake  of  brevity,  we  call  Blocks  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  respectively,  the  follow- 
ing Italian  blocks : 

Block  A — East  112th,  East  113th  streets,  1st  and  2nd  avenues. 
Block  B — Mott,   Prince,  Elizabeth,   East   Houston   streets. 
Block  C — East  114th,  East  115th  street,  1st  and  2nd  avenues. 
Block  D— East  108th,  East  109th  streets,  1st  and  2nd  avenues. 
Block  E — East  106th,  East  107th  streets,  1st  and  2nd  avenues. 
Block  F — Jones,  Cornelia,  West  4th  and  Bleecker  streets. 


179 

Population,  Deaths  and  Death  Rates  per  1,000,  at  Different  Age  Groups,  for  Years 
1905  and  1906,  From  All  Causes,  Diphtheria,  Acute  Respiratory  and  Diarrhoeal  Dis- 
eases (Under  Five  Years),  in  Certain  Square  Blocks  of  the  City  of  New  York. 
Italian  Block  No.  2 — Mott,  Prince,  Elizabeth  and  East  Houston  Streets. 

Acute  Res-      Diarrhoeal 

Population.       Death  Rate.       Diphtheria.        piratory.  Diseases. 

Male.  Female.  Male.  Female.  Deaths.  Rate.  Deaths.  Rate.  Deaths.  Rate. 

Under  5  years..    540        610        90.7        93.5  5        4.34        55        47.8        22        19.1 

Total 1,150  92.2 

5  to  19  years...    950     1,004         2.10        6.0        2  1.02       

Total 1,954  4.09 

20  to  44  years..  1,194     1,260         9.2         2.38        1  .40  1  .40       

Total 2,454  5.70 

45  to  64  years..    226        260        39.8        34.6        4         8.21       ..   •      ... 

Total 486  37.0 

65   and   over....      10  4      400.0      250.0        1        75.5        

Total 14  357.0 

All  ages   2,920     3.128        25.66      24.2  6  .99        63        13.7        

Total 6,058  24.9 

Jewish  Block  No.  4 — Madison,  Henry,  Catherine  and  Market  Streets. 

Acute  Res-      Diarrhoeal 

Population.       Death  Rate.      Diphtheria.        piratory.  Diseases. 

Male.  Female.  Male.  Female.  Deaths.  Rate.  Deaths.  Rate.  Deaths.  Rate. 

Under  5  years..    480        430        58.3        41.9  5        5.49  5  5.5         9         9.9 

Total 910  50.0 

5  to  19  years...  1,188     1,240         3.37        4.03        2  .82        

Total 2,428  3.71 

20  to  44  years.  .1,570     1,370         8.92        7.30 

Total 2,940  8.16 

45  to  64  years..    322        352        31.06      22.73       

Total 674  26.71 

65   and   over....       8  32      875.0        62.5        25.0        

Total 40  225.0 

All    ages    3,568     3,424        17.66      12.56        7        1.00         6  .9        

Total 6,992  15.16 

City  of  New  York— Years  1905  and  1906. 

Acute  Respi- 
ratory Dis-  Diarrhoeal 
Number  of     Death      Diphtheria.               eases.  Diseases. 
Population.  Deaths.     Rate.     Deaths.     Rate.     Deaths.    Rate.     Deaths.  Rate. 

Under  5  years   472.667    24,539        sIs        U27        Z80        6,019      127        6^076      1Z9 
All    ages    ....4.088,780    74,958        18.33         

The  statistics  of  the  Department   of  Health   also  give   figures   which   show  that 
in  the  block  bounded  by  Mott,  Prince,  Elizabeth  and  East  Houston  streets,  which  had 


180 

in  1905  a  total  population  of  3,468,  there  were  in  the  two  years  1905  and  1906  a  total 
of  151  deaths.  This  block  is  predominantly  Italian.  In  a  predominantly  Jewish  block 
bounded  by  Madison,  Henry,  Catherine  and  Market  streets,  chiefly  Jewish,  the  total 
death  rate  for  1905  and  1906  was  15.16  per  1,000.  The  density  here,  however,  is  less 
than  750  per  acre.  While  it  is  true  that  the  death  rate  is  slightly  less  than  in  the  City 
at  a  whole,  the  total  population  in  1905  was  only  3,496,  while  the  number  of  deaths  in 
the  two  years  1905  and  1906  was  106.  This  is  a  much  higher  death  rate  than  is  found 
among  the  Jews  in  country  districts. 

Dr.  W.  H.  Guilfoy,  Registrar  of  Records  of  the  Department  of  Health,  says: 
"Italian  children  have  a  mortality  of  almost  five  times  that  of  the  entire  city,  the 
Italian  children  show  the  highest  mortality  from  scarlet  fever  and  whooping  cough, 
with  the  Hebrew  children  a  close  second  ;  neglect  of  the  use  of  diphtheria  anti-toxin 
produces  a  mortality  rate  from  diphtheria  among  the  Italian  children  of  three  times 
that  of  all  other  nationalities  combined,  while  among  the  Hebrew  children  the  rate  is 
almost  twice  that  of  the  normal  average." 

Death  Rate  per  1,000  in  Certain  Typical  Square  Blocks,  Old  City  of  New  York,  1906. 


rt  ,— 


Type.  -^^ 


55-3 

3   3 

u 

<u 
u 

c 

O 

ni   bo 

'5 

O 

I  B 

n  3 
J^  <u 

o  c 

h-IDh 

u  C 

O   1' 
u   C 

5  c 

1.48 

2.22 

2.96 

0.74 

1.48 

1.21 

0.72 

2,17 

1.93 

1.93 

1.93 

0.83 

0.83 

1.94 

1.94 

1.94 

1.11 

0.96 

1.74 

0.96 

8.29 

2.31 

4.10 

1.82 

3.1Q 

1.82 

1.37 

4.78 

5.05 

0.67 

1.91 

2.70 

12.47 

0.69 

5.54 

3.46 

0.69 

3.91 

1.96 

1.30 

4.57 

3.91 

3.9i 

8.64 

0.66 

4.66 

2.00 

5.99 

2.66 

2.39 

0.75 

2.74 

1.34 

1.37 

1.48 

A — German     16.30 

B — Austro-Hungarian     16.43 

C — Russian-Pole     17.47 

D— Italian    19.26 

E — Bohemian    19  57 

F— Irish     24.64 

G — Chinese     34.65 

H— Syrian     35.83 

I— Negro 38.56 

General   rates,   entire    City.   18.71 


"Under  the  rates  from  broncho-pneumonia,  the  most  surprising  rate  of  the  whole 
table  appears  the  rate  among  Italian  children,  reaching  the  enormous  height  of  710 
per  100,000,  more  than  seven  and  a  half  times  higher  than  that  of  American  children. 
When  we  consider  under  what  conditions  the  Italian  families  herd  together,  and  the 
opportunities  this  affords  for  the  spread  of  contagious  and  infectious  diseases,  the 
difficulties  encountered  by  the  sanitary  officers  can  be  imagined  but  not  described. 

"The  lobar-pneumonia  column  reiterates  the  story  as  to  the  Italian  national  pre- 
disposition to  disease  of  the  respiratory  tract.  Here  the  Italian  leads,  with  none  of  the 
others  a  close  second." 

It  is  well  known  that  the  Italians,  Austro-Hungarians  and  Hebrews  are  among 
the  most  congested  people  in  the  City. 

Dr.  Guilfoy  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  death  rate  of  the  City  has  practi- 
cally marked  time  for  several  years,  and  there  has  been  only  most  insignificant  and 
negligible  decrease  in  the  death  rate  in  1910  from  the  death  rate  in  1909. 

Morbidity  Rates — It  is,  of  course,  inevitable  that  there  should  be  more  people 
sick  than  those  who  die,  and  the  following  report,  prepared  by  the  Standing  Commit- 
tee on  Hospitals  of  the  State  Charities  Aid  Association,  indicate  the  total  number  of 
those  sick  with  all  diseases  in  1905,  as  well  as  the  average  duration  and  days  of  each 
disease  and  the  number  of  each  disease  for  the  year  1905.  As  has  been  noted,  there 
was  a  large  total  number  of  cases  of  sickness  in  addition  to  the  deaths  from  apy  and 
every  disease.  The  deaths  from  consumption,  excluding  tubercular  meningitis,  was 
9,014  from  30,046  cases  of  consumption,  and  the  average  duration  is  given  as  500  days, 
making  a  total  of  15,023,000  days  of  sickness  of  consumption,  and  the  average  number 
of  people  sick  daily  was  41,159.  There  was  a  total  of  nearly  50,000,000  days  of  sick- 
ness in  New  York  City  from  all  diseases,  according  to  the  statement  of  this  Com- 
mittee, in  1905. 


181 


Showing  Amount  of  Sickness  in  Greater  New  York  in  1905. 


Typical   Diseases 
Names  of  Disease. 


No.  of 

deaths 

from  each 

disease 

1905. 


No.  of  Average 

cases  oc-  duration 

curring  in  days 

from  each  of  each 


disease 
1905 


disease 


Total  days 

sickness 

from  each 

disease 

1905. 


Average 
daily 

sickness 

during 

1905. 


Typhoid    Fever    649 

Tubercular  Meningitis    644 

Pneumonia,  excluding  broncho 

pneumonia     5,657 

Broncho-pneumonia    4,126 

Diarrhea  and  enteritis  (largely 

under  two  years)    5,877 

Diphtheria    1,544 

Smallpox    9 

Measles    520 

Scarlet   Fever    473 

Whooping    Cough    408 

Tuberculosis,  excluding  tuber- 
cular meningitis    9,014 

Total,  all   diseases 73,714 


4.333 
859 

28.285 
13,753 

19,590 
13,673 
46 
52,000 
8,071 
40,800 


40 
60 

20 
30 

7 
25 
40 
21 
30 
10 


30,046        500 


1,532,135 


32.2 


173,320 
41,540 

848,550 
825,180 

137,130 

341,825 
1,840 
520,000 
282,485 
408,000 

15,023,000 

49,434,740 


475 

114 

2,325 
2,261 

376 

936 

5 

1,425 
774 

1,118 

41,159 
135,396 


The  density  per  acre  and  corrected  general  death  rate  of  the  five  Boroughs  is  as 
follows  for  1909: 

Density  per         Death     Consumption 
Acre.  Rate.       Death  Rate. 

Manhattan    167.7  16.40  7.17 

The   Bronx    13.3  16.12  4.59 

Brooklyn    30.9  15.90  4.16 

Queens    2.9  16.14  2.55 

Richmond     Zl 18.62 ZOl 

B.     In  Foreign  Countries. 

Physical   Results  of  Overcrowding — At  Glasgow  an  exhaustive  inquiry  revealed 

the   following  figures  as  the  result  of  investigations  among  72,857   school  children. 
The  schools  were  divided  into  four  groups,  viz. : 

Schools.  Children. 

(a)  Poorest   districts    26  24,661 

(b)  Poor   districts    27  25.348 

(c)  Better  class    11  11,453 

(d)  Higher  class   9  11,395 

It  was  found  that  so  surely  as  a  child  was  found  in  group  (a)  he  or  she  was 
likely  to  be  smaller  and  lighter  than  the  children  from  group  (b),  and  so  on  with 
the  other  groups.  But  it  was  when  the  average  height  and  weight  were  classified 
in  correlation  with  the  number  of  rooms  in  the  houses  in  which  the  children  lived 
that  the  most  striking  results  were  obtained.  Taking  the  children  of  all  ages,  from 
five  to  eighteen,  the  average  weight  and  height,  classified  according  to  the  number  of 
rooms,  was  found  to  be  as  follows : 

Height.      Weight. 

One  room :  Inches.  Lbs. 

Boys    46.6  52.6 

Girls    46.3  51.5 

Two  rooms : 

Boys    48.1  56.1 

Girls    47.8  54.8 

Three  rooms : 

Boys  50.0  60.6 

Girls  49.6  59.4 

Four  rooms : 

Boys    51.3  64.3 

Girls    51.6  65.5 


182 

Investigations  at  Edinburgh  had  similar  results,  with  the  addition  that  it  was 
found  there  was  an  equivalent  difference  in  mental  power. 

An  investigation  made  in  Leipsig  showed  a  death  rate  in  rooms  with  three  or 
more  occupants,  for  adults,  3  times,  and  for  children  under  1  year  4  times  greater 
than  in  rooms  with  one  occupant. 

In  a  recent  year  the  County  of  Durham,  England,  in  which  there  was  28.4  per 
cent,  of  overcrowding,  had  a  death  rate  of  18.64  per  1,000,  while  the  County  of  Essex, 
with  only  2.7  per  cent,  of  overcrowding,  had  a  death  rate  of  14.03  per  1,000. 

The  following  records  of  death  rates,  according  to  room  occupancy,  indicate 
the  dire  results  of  too  close  contact  and  those  conditions  of  living  which  such  over- 
crowding indicates.  Only  by  a  careful  study,  such  as  this,  can  the  results  of  over- 
crowding be  definitely  ascertained,  and  of  course  it  bears  hardest  upon  infants,  who 
are  not  able  to  get  out  of  their  free  will  into  the  open  air.  Dr.  George  Newman, 
Medical  Officer  of  Health  for  the  Borough  of  Finsbury,  one  of  London's  most  con- 
gested wards,  says : 

"We  find  the  highest  infant  mortality  rates  occur  in  the  one-roomed  homes,  and 
the  lowest  in  the  four-roomed  homes,"  and  the  following  table  abundantly  illustrates 
his  findings : 

Infant  Mortality   per 
1,000  Births. 


Size  of  tenements. 


One-room  tenement   

Two-room   tenement 

Three-room  tenement 

Four-room    tenement     and 
upwards  of  four  rooms. 


Borough   of   Finsbury 101,463 


r 

Diarrhea 

N 

Census 

an 

d  other 

popula- 

All Causes. 

Zy 

motic 

Prematurity. 

tion. 

Diseases. 

Immaturity. 

1901. 

1905. 

1906. 

1905. 

1906. 

1905.     1906. 

14,516 

219 

211 

53 

67 

30            69 

31,482 

157 

178 

42 

56 

26           48 

21,280 

141 

188 

34 

43 

44           55 

33,185 

99 

121 

19 

26 

19           52 

101,463 

148 

157 

37 

45 

27           48 

Sir  .Shirley  Murphy,  Medical  Officer  of  Health,  of  London,  in  a  report  to  the 
Committee  on  Physical  Deterioration,  furnished  the  following  information  regarding 
the  results  in  London  in  1901. 


Death  Rate  per  1,000  Living. 


Proportion  of  total  population  living  in  tene- 
ments of  one  or  two  rooms. 


f 

^ 

From  all 

From 

Causes. 

Phthisis. 

13.4 

1.1 

16.1 

1.4 

•     17.7 

1.6 

15.3 

1.5 

18.9 

1.9 

197 

2.0 

Districts  with  0.12  per  cent,  overcrowding 

Districts   with    12.15   per  cent,   overcrowding 

Districts  with  15.20  per  cent,  overcrowding 

Districts  with  20.25  per  cent,  overcrowding 

Districts  with  25.32  per  cent,  overcrowding 

Districts  with  32  per  cent,  and  upwards  overcrowding. 


Finsbury,  1903  to  1906— Death  Rate  Per  1,000  Persons  From  All  and  Certain  Causes 

in  Houses  or  Tenements  of  Several  Sizes. 

(By  Dr.  George  Newman.) 

Census 

Population 

Size  of  Tenements.  1901.  .\11  Causes.  Phthisis. 

101,463  1903.  1904.  1905.  1906.  1903.  1904.  1905.  1906. 

One-room  tenement   14,516  38.9    40.6  32.7  39.0      4.5      4.5  3.5    3.4 

Two-room  tenement  31.482  22.6    21.9  19.5  22.5      2.8      2.2  2.1     2.3 

Three-room  tenement    21.280  11.7     14.7  12.3  14.8      1.2      2.3  1.3     1.4 

Four-room  tenement  and  upwards    33,185  5.6      7.5  6.6  6.4      0.63     1.2  0.810.93 

The   Borough   Death   Rate 198    21.1     18.9    20.7      22      Z5      21      Z3 


183 


For  the  purpose  of  this  table  it  has  been  necessary  to  use  the  census  population 
(1901)  for  all  four  of  the  years  included  in  the  table.  It  should  not,  however,  be  for- 
gotten that  the  population  is  declining,  and  the  death  rates  for  each  year  in  this  table 
are,  therefore,  approximate  only. 

The  following  tables  were  prepared  by  Dr.  Herman  M.  Biggs,  of  the  New  York 
Health  Department  for  London  data : 

Phthisis. 
(Death  rate  per  1,000  living,  1894-1898  Inclusive.) 

Proportion  of  Total  Population  Living  Death  Rate  per  1,000  Living. 

more  than  two  in  a  room —  in  Tene-  c ^ ^ 

ments  of  Less  than  Five  Rooms,  1894.  18.95  1896.  1897.        1898. 

Districts  with  under  10  per  cent 1.07  1.18  1.07  1.14  1.10 

Districts  under  10  to  15  per  cent 1.38  1.49  1.46  1.42  1.43 

Districts  with  15  to  20  per  cent 1.57  1.64  1.61  1.63  1.61 

Districts  with  20  to  25  per  cent 1.58  1.83  1.67  1.75  1.80 

Districts  with  25  to  30  per  cent 1.81  2.09  2.06  2.10  2.07 

Districts  with  30  to  25  per  cent 2.11  2.42  2.13  2.32  2.42 

Districts  with  over  35  per  cent 2.46  2.66  2.55  2.64  2.63 

Phthisis. 
(Death  Rates  per  1,000  Living,  1898.) 

Proportionof  Total  Population  Living  (in 
Tenements  of  Less  Than  5  Rooms),  55  and 

More  Than  Two  in  a  Room.  0  5         20         25         35         45  up 

Districts  with  under  10  per  cent 0.23  0.39  1.19  1.50  1.94  2.05  1.77 

Districts  with  10  to  15  per  cent 0.39  0.34  1.44  2.13  3.09  2.68  1.91 

Districts  with  15  to  20  per  cent 0.62  0.36  1.05  2.01  3.41  3.43  2.36 

Districts  with  20  to  25  per  cent 0.57  0.37  1.59  2.39  3.66  4.01  2.78 

Districts  with  25  to  30  per  cent 0.78  0.33  1.57  2.58  4.16  4.58  3.04 

Districts  with  30  to  35  per  cent 0.81  0.49  2.00  3.00  5.58  6.26  3.26 

Districts   with   over  35   per   cent 0.85  0.50  1.82  3.25  6.04  6.12  4.41 

Dr.  Newman  remarks :  "It  ma3'  be  said  that  povert}%  alcoholism,  vice  and  so 
forth  bring  about  these  variations,  something  more  exact  in  relation  is  necessary  if 
its  effects  alone  is  to  be  studied.  Of  course,  overcrowding  brings  many  of  the  other 
disabilities,  and  that  is  part  of  the  way  in  which  it  operates.' 

Sir  Shirley  jMurphy  has  shown  that  for'  1891-1900  the  infant  mortality  in  districts 
of  London  with  under  10  per  cent,  of  overcrowding  (more  than  two  in  a  room),  is 
142  per  1.000  births,  whereas,  in  districts  with  a  percentage  of  overcrowding  over 
35  it  is  223  per  1,000  births. 

Dr.  Newman,  in  his  "Health  of  the  State,"  gives  the  following  statistics : 

In  overcrowded  communities  life  is  shorter  than  under  other  conditions.  Sir 
Shirlej^  ]\Iurphy  has  compared  the  length  of  life  in  Hempstead  with  that  in  South- 
wark,  a  poor  and  overcrowded  district,  and  he  finds  that,  comparing  males  in  the 
two  communities,  out  of  1,000  born  in  Southwark.  326  die  before  reaching  5  years 
of  age,  while  in  Hempstead,  out  of  1.000  born,  only  189  die  before  reaching  the  age  of 
5  years.  Again,  out  of  1,000  children  aged  5  in  Southwark.  40  die  before  reaching  the 
age  of  15,  while  in  Hempstead  the  corresponding  number  is  24.  At  ages  25  to  45, 
when  probably,  so  far  as  the  community  is  concerned,  the  economic  value  of  life  is 
at  a  maximum,  the  difference  in  the  two  communities  is  most  marked.  Thus,  of 
1,000  males  aged  25,  living  in  Southwark,  236  die  before  reaching  the  age  of  45 
years,  while  the  corresponding  figure  for  Hempstead  is  only  125.  Expressed  in  an- 
other way,  Southwark  males  lose  13.0  per  cent,  of  the  period  of  infancy,  17.7  ner  cent. 
of  the  school  age  period,  28.0  per  cent,  of  the  working  period,  and  59.1  per  cent,  of 
the  period  of  decline.  It  has  been  estimated  that  the  "expectation  of  life"  in 
Hempstead  at  birth  is  50  years,  as  compared  with  36  years  in  Southwark. 

A  more  convincing  proof  of  the  disastrous  physical  results  of  overcrowding  ap- 
pears when  we  examine  the  mortality  statistics  for  various  districts.  For  example, 
in  Edgbaston,  the  suburb  of  Birmingham,  the  general  death  rate  is  13.1,  in  the  over- 
crowded Floodgate  area  in  the  middle  of  the  city  it  is  31.5.  In  Hempstead  it  is  9.4  as 
compared  with  Finsbury,  the  most  overcrowded  tenement  district  of  London,  where 
it  is  21.5.  In  the  least  overcrowded  census  of  Finsbury,  the  death  rate  is  14.4;  in  the 
most  overcrowded  census  area  it  is  31.4. 


184 

In  1905  Phthisis  was  higher  in  the  urban  counties  of  England  and  Wales  than 
in  the  rural  by  19.3  per  cent.  Even  in  the  labor  towns  Phthisis  follo^ys  density  to 
the  acre.  In  tlie  centre  of  London  or  Manchester,  or  Birmingham,  Phthisis  mortality 
is  higher  than  on  the  circumferences  of  the  towns.  There  are,  of  course,  many 
causes  for  this,  but.  undoubtedly  one  is  density  of  population,  that  is,  overcrowding. 
Dr.  Robertson,  the  Medical  Officer  of  Birmingham,  has  show-n  that  in  the  over- 
crowded Floodgate  area  in  the  centre  of  the  city  during  the  five  years  1899-1903.  the 
Phthisis  death  rate  was  Zl  per  1,000  of  the  population,  whereas,  in  Edgbaston,  of 
normal  districts,  it  was  only  0.937;  that  is  to  say,  four  times  less,  or  one- fourth  as 
great. 

REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  IMMIGRATION  OF  THE  NEW  YORK 
CITY  COMMISSION  ON  CONGESTION  OF  POPULATION.  ALDERMAN 
TRISTAM  B.  JOHNSON,  CHAIRMAN. 

The  Committee  have  held  six  meetings  and  examined  nineteen  people  at  these 
meetings,  and  in  addition  they  familiarized  themselves  with  the  reports  of  the  Bureau 
of  Immigration,  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  report  of  the  Commission  of 
Immigration  of  the  State  of  New  York,  the  Federal  Immigration  Commission,  and 
of  various  Immigration  Commissions  other  than  the  State,  as  well  as  the  practices 
of  foreign  countries,  the  reports  of  various  organizations  in  the  city  dealing  with  this 
problem,  and  have  had  before  it  the  officers  of  these  societies  to  give  them  the  ben- 
efit of  their  experience  with  relation  to  immigration. 

Your  Committee  had  a  twofold  purpose  in  the  view :  First,  to  ascertain  the  pres- 
ent condition  of  immigrants  in  the  congested  sections  of  New  York  City,  and,  second, 
to  ascertain  the  relation  between  immigration  and  congestion. 

Summary  of  the  Statements  Before  Your  Committee. 

At  the  first  session  of  your  Committee,  Hon.  William  Williams,  Federal  Com- 
missioner of  Immigration  of  the  Port  of  New  York,  was  present.  He  stated  that 
the  Department  did  not  follow  up  immigrants,  but  merely  inquired  where  they  were 
going  and  accepted  their  statement,  and  did  nothing  further  until  they  heard  from 
them  as  having  become  public  charges.  He  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  present 
phraseology  that  the  immigrant  might  be  deported  as  "likely  to  become  a  public 
charge"  was  too  indefinite,  and  that  legislation  should  be  enacted  to  give  the  author- 
ities a  better  chance  to  keep  out  the  undesirables.  He  thought  that  two-thirds  of  the 
immigrants  were  not  wanted  economically,  and  that  probably  25  per  cent,  of  the 
immigration  is  stimulated  by  those  on  the  other  side  who,  while  ihey  may  not  have 
been  agents  of  steamship  companies,  nevertheless  were  agents  receiving  a  commission 
for  those  whom  they  induced  to  migrate.  Mr.  Williams  stated  that  he  felt  quite 
sure  that  some  of  the  governments  acquiesced  in  it,  as  was  the  case  with  the  Hun- 
garian Government,  as  he  knew  that  there  was  a  contract  between  the  Government 
and  the  Cunard  Steamship  Line  for  immigrants  coming  from  Fiume  to  New  York, 
and  that  the  contract  was  in  his  office. 

The  most  important  subjects  considered  by  the  Committee  in  relation  to  the 
problem  of  immigration  have  been : 

1st.     Does  immigration  cause  congestion  in  New  York  City? 

2d.     Does  immigration   cause  room  overcrowding  in   New   York   City? 

3d.  Do  immigrants  reduce  the  wages  paid  to  unskilled  and  skilled  laborers  in  the 
city? 

4th.     Do  immigrants  increase  the  crime  and  delinquency  in  the  city? 

5th.  Are  further  measures  needed  to  restrict  immigration  and  distribute  immi- 
grants? 

The  conclusions  of  the  Committee  on  these  subjects  are  as  follows: 

First — Does  inimigration  cause  congestion  in  New  York  City? 

The  Committee  differentiate  between  congestion  and  room  overcrowding  in  their 
study  of  congestion  and  immigration,  although  the  Federal  Immigration  Commission 
do  not  do  so,  but  simply  state  that  the  word  "congestion"  is  used  for  convenience 
and  to  denote  the  ratio  of  adult  persons  per  room  and  per  sleeping  room.  The  result 
of  the  Federal  Census  of  1910  shows  that  the  population  of  over  half  the  blocks 
in  Manhattan  which  in  1905  had  a  density  of  population  per  acre  over 
750  and  over,  has  increased  largely  from  1905  to  1910,  while  also  most  of  the  density 
of  population  per  acre  of  areas  with  an  overwhelming  congestion  in  1905,  have  in- 
creased during  these  five  years.  Most  of  these  blocks  are  now  occupied  by  immi- 
grants, and  although  some  of  them  have  been  naturalized,  yet  many  have  been  in 
the  country  a  comparatively  short  time. 

Dr.    Walter   Laidlaw,    Secretary   of    the    Federation    of    Churches    and    Christian 


185 

Organizations,  states  tliat  it  is  a  general  rule  that  the  greater  the  density  of  population 
per  acre  the  higher  the  percentage  of  aliens.  Information  on  this  subject  presented 
by  those  who  have  appeared  before  the  Committee  differs  very  widely.  Mr.  Cyrus 
L.  Sulzberger,  until  recently  President  of  the  United  Hebrew  Charities,  stated  that 
immigration  does  not  create  congestion  of  population,  although  it  does  increase  the 
population  of  the  cities.  Mr.  Sulzberger  admitted  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  im- 
migrants arriving  in  New  York  City  live  in  congested  districts  for  a  time,  but  that 
they  invariably  improve  their  financial  conditions  after  being  in  the  city  for  a  time 
and  move  to  other  sections,  while  it  is  only  their  poverty  which  keeps  them  in  the 
congested  districts.  He  further  urged  that  density  per  acre  in  1855  and  density  now 
must  be  considered  in  this  relation  and  the  difference  in  buildings,  and  the  difference 
between  private  dwellings  should  also  be  taken  into  consideration. 

It  was  also  admitted  by  Mr.  Morris  D.  Waldman,  Secretary  of  the  United  He- 
brew Charities,  that  congestion  in  the  lower  East  Side  was  caused  by  economic  condi- 
tions, that  most  of  the  people  directly  or  indirectly  were  dependent  upon  the  gar- 
ment industry  and  that  these  were  situated  within  walking  distance  of  their  homes. 
So  long  as  the  wages  are  low,  making  carfare  and  lunches  such  a  serious  item  in 
the  workers'  weekly  budget,  and  working  hours  are  so  long,  these  conditions  of 
overcrowding  will   continue. 

Dr.  Walter  Laidlaw  submitted  a  statement  with  reference  to  the  density  of  pop- 
ulation in  the  different  blocks  and  the  proportion  of  population  in  these  blocks  who 
were  immigrants,  especially  those  living  in  this  country  for  a  short  time.  He  stated 
that  there  seems  to  be  a  general  concurrence  that  immigrants  do  live  in  congested 
sections  of  New  York  City  and  that  the  preponderant  majority  of  immigrants  or 
alien  population  of  the  city  are  in  blocks  with  a  very  high  density  of  population  per 
acre  is  indicated  by  the  figures  of  the  Federal  Census,  although  the  compilation  as  to 
the  nationalities  of  these  blocks  has  not  been  completed  for  1910.  In  this  connec- 
tion the  report  of  the  organizations  who  distribute  to  their  destination  immigrants 
coming  to  New  York  City  are  of  peculiar  significance.  The  North  American  Civic 
League  have  arrangements  by  which  they  transfer  immigrants  from  Ellis  Island  to 
their  destination  in  the  city,  and  they  report  that  during  the  period  from  October  5 
to  November  30,  1910,  they  distributed  3,499  such  persons,  exclusive  of  Hebrews. 
Of  this  number  384  were  placed  below  Chambers  street  in  Manhattan,  1,400  between 
Chambers  street  and  42d  street,  while  only  491,  less  than  one-half  of  the  total  number, 
went  to  Brooklyn — that  is,  over  one-half  were  sent  to  Manhattan  below  42d  street. 
It  may  also  be  noted,  in  passing,  that  the  majority  of  these  were  Greeks — 1,816— 
of  whom  277  located  below  Chambers  street,  and  880  between  Chambers  street  and 
42d  street.  The  Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Immigrant  Aid  Society  reported  that  for 
the  month  of  November,  1910,  732  immigrants  immediately  upon  arrival  were  taken 
to  their  destination.  Of  this  number  584  were  men.  116  women  and  32  children. 
Considerably  over  one-half,  424,  were  located  below  14th  street  in  Manhattan,  114  in 
Manhattan  north  of  14th  street;  in  other  words  nearly  three-fourths  were  located  in 
Manhattan,  while  only  145.  or  roughly  one-fifth,  were  destined  for  Brooklyn  and 
suburbs,  and  only  49  were  for  points  outside  of  New  York  City.  These  figures,  while 
not  of  course  covering  a  sufficient  number  of  families  or  sufficient  period  of  time  to 
permit  of  wide  generalization,  are  fairly  significant  of  the  way  in  which  immigrants 
are  coming  directly  to  the  present  congested  districts  of  New  York  City. 

Second — Does  immigration  cause  room  overcrowding  in  New  York  City? 

Upon  this  question  the  Committee  have  secured  information  from  a  number  of 
sources. 

1st — The  Federal  Immigration  Commission  in  their  abstract  of  Report  of  Immi- 
grants in  Cities  recently  issued,  states  that  there  is  a  very  large  percentage  of  room 
overcrowding  among  immigrants.  In  2,667  households  in  which  they  made  investiga- 
tions in  New  York  City,  they  state  in  Table  11  that  5.13  per  cent,  of  the  households 
occupied  apartments  of  three  rooms.  10.2  per  cent,  two  rooms,  while  23.2  per  cent,  of 
the  households  had  two  or  more  occupants  per  room  in  the  entire  household,  table 
14.  (The  Commission  have  taken  the  standard  of  two  persons  to  a  room  as  overcrowd- 
ing instead  of  one  and  a  half,  which  is  generally  considered  in  America  to  constitute 
overcrowding).  Even  on  their  own  standard,  nearly  one-fourth  of  the  families  were 
in  overcrowded  rooms.  The  Federal  Immigration  Commission  also  report  that  of 
the  2,648  families  in  New  York  City  concerning  whom  they  have  complete  data,  1.944 
or  nearly  three-quarters  had  two  persons  or  more  per  sleeping  room.  In  New  York 
City  24.6  of  the  families,  nearly  one-fourth,  take  lodgers  or  boarders,  and  in  these 
families  the  average  number  of  lodgers  or  boarders  is  1.87.  Some  idea  as  to  the 
overcrowding  of  rooms  which  this  indicates  can  be  appreciated  when  it  is  recalled  that 
New  York  tenements  are  conspicuous  for  very  small  rooms  as  well  as  for  the  dark- 


186 

ness  of  their  rooms.  The  Committee  have,  however,  made  further  and  direct  in- 
vestigation as  to  the  overcrowding  in  rooms  among  immigrants.  The  Tenement  House 
Department  have  investigated  several  blocks  in  various  sections  of  the  city,  especially 
near  149th  street  and  Morris  avenue,  in  The  Bronx,  m  the  western  part  of  Brooklyn 
and  on  the  lower  east  side  and  the  west  side  of  Manhattan.  'Ihey  found  a  large 
number  of  rooms  having  over  two,  three  and  four  adults  per  room,  and  occasionally 
five,  six  and  over  per  room,  and  in  a  few  isolated  cases,  as  many  as  seven,  eight,  ten 
and  twelve  in  a  room,  while  over  25  per  cent,  of  the  overcrowded  families  in  the  blocks 
investigated  were  found  to  be  living  in  overcrowded  rooms,  even  upon  the  basis  of 
the  requirements  of  the  present  Tenement  House  Law  that  rooms  shall  not  be  so 
overcrowded  that  there  shall  be  less  than  400  cubic  feet  of  air  space  for  every  adult 
and  200  cubic  feet  of  air  space  for  every  minor  under  12  years  of  age  (full  rej^ort 
of  the  Tenement  House  Department  is  attached). 

Similar  conditions  were  found  in  investigations  made  from  time  to  time  in 
the  crowded  sections  of  the  city.  Thus  in  February  and  March,  1908,  an  investigation 
was  made  of  174  scattered  Italian  families  in  lower  Manhattan  and  in  Little  Italj-,  in 
which  it  was  found  that  out  of  255  rooms,  191  had  three  occupants  or  over  per 
room.  Similarly  during  1907  a  study  was  made  of  367  families  in  the  block  bounded 
by  Mott,  Prince,  Elizabeth  and  East  Houston  streets,  with  immigrants  from  various 
parts  of  Italy.  Out  of  a  total  of  405  rooms,  319  were  found  to  have  two  adults  sleep- 
ing in  them  and  45  had  two  and  a  half  sleeping  in  them.  A  study  of  the  overcrowd- 
ing in  tenements,  made  by  the  settlements  in  February,  1910,  indicated  that  of  91 
typical  families  studied  in  Manhattan  and  Brooklyn,  less  than  one-half  had  two  occu- 
pants per  room;  one-quarter  had  two  and  a  half,  one-seventh  three,  one-ninth  three 
and  a  half,  and  one-eighth  four  per  room  or  over,  while  two  cases  were  reported  of 
six  people  in  a  room.  One-sixth  of  the  families  lived  in  two-room  apartments,  one- 
half  in  three  rooms,  while  most  of  them  took  in  lodgers  to  help  pay  the  rent.  In 
several  instances  parents  and  children,  with  three  to  eight  adult  lodgers,  occupied  a 
small  apartment  of  two,  three  or  four  rooms. 

Members  of  the  Commission  have  also  visited  the  congested  blocks  of  New  York 
City  and  seen  there  themselves  a  great  deal  of  room  overcrowding,  which  is  included 
in  detail  in  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  Housing. 

Third — Are  newly  arrived  immigrants  able  to  maintain  themselves  in  congested 
districts  with  high  land  values  and  high  rents,  and  do  they  reduce  the  wages  paid  to 
unskilled  and  skilled  laborers  in  the  city? 

On  these  points,  too,  the  Federal  Immigration  Commission  furnish  valuable  in- 
formation. They  state  on  page  11  of  the  report  on  Immigrants  in  Cities  (section  10) 
that  the  rents  in  New  York  City  average  $3.89  per  room  per  month,  and  in  Cleveland 
only  $2.03  per  room  per  month,  that  is,  the  annual  rent  in  New  York  City  for  a 
three-room  apartment  would  be  $66.96  more  than  in  Cleveland.  The  evidence  pre- 
sented to  the  Committee  as  to  the  ability  of  immigrants  to  earn  enough  to  maintain 
themselves  and  families  in  New  York  City  immediately  upon  arriving  here  varies  ex- 
tremely, some  of  the  witnesses  claiming  that  immigrants  take  lower  wages  in  order 
to  maintain  an  existence  on  the  theory  that  starvation  knows  no  minimum  wage, 
while  others  asserted  that  they  were  able  to  secure  adequate  wages  immediately  upon 
arriving  in  New  York  at  the  work  which  they  wished  to  undertake,  that  is,  at  un- 
skilled labor.  The  report  of  the  Commissioner  General  of  Immigration  shows,  too, 
that  a  large  proportion  of  the  immigrants  arriving  in  New  York  State  every  year  are 
unskilled  laborers,  the  total  varying  from  40  to  45  per  cent.,  while  approximately  30 
per  cent,  have  no  occupation,  including  women  and  children.  A  large  proportion  of 
these  classes,  of  course,  remain  in  New  York  City. 

Mr.  Lajos  Steiner  stated  that  peasant  immigration  laborers  are,  except  in  very  rare 
cases,  at  once  self-supporting,  and  that  immigrants  do  not  tend  to  reduce  the  wages 
in  New  York  City  and  so  lower  the  standard  of  wages.  He  claimed  that  the  lodging 
accommodations  obtainable  for  a  laborer  earning  $2.50  per  day  might  be,  rather  than 
immigration,  the  cause  of  congestion. 

Mr.  J.  N.  Francolini  stated  that  immigrants  could  secure  employment  and  be  self- 
supporting  as  soon  as  they  reach  here,  but  that  their  own  people  were  taking  advan- 
tage of  the  immigrants  and  exploiting  them  shortly  after  their  arrival. 

Mr.  Cyrus  L.  Sulzburger  said  statistics  show  the  average  wage  paid  in  the  cloth- 
ing industry  in  the  LIniled  States  as  given  before  the  Industrial  Court,  were  higher 
than  the  average  wages  in  the  country,  but  did  not  indicate  how  this  raises  the  stand- 
ard of  wages  paid  unskilled  laborers  in  New  York  City.  The  Federal  Immigration 
Commission  also  gives  figures  indicating  that  in  New  York  City  there  are  less  than 
9.7  per  cent,  of  the  immigrants  in  2,558  households  paying  under  $3  rent  per  month 
per  room,  while  45.5  per  cent,  were  paying  over  $4  per  room  per  month ;  the  average 
rent  per  person,  moreover,  of  these  2,558  families  in  New  York  City  is  over  $3  in 


187 

the  case  of  49.6  per  cent,  of  the  households,  indicating_  that  the  minimum  rent  for  a 
familj'  of  five  in  practically  one-half  of  the  cases  is  $15  per  month.  The  information 
brought  out  before  the  Committee  on  Labor  and  Wages  in  reference  to  wages  paid 
to  foreigners  in  the  City  works  at  the  Catskill  Aqueduct  indicate  that  there  were  two 
prevailing  rates  of  wages,  that  of  natives  in  the  district  in  which  the  work  was  being 
done,  and  that  of  immigrants,  and  that  the  tendency  of  contractors  was  always  to 
secure  immigrants  from  New  York  City  and  pay  them  the  prevailing  rate  of  wages 
of  immigrants  in  those  districts,  from  $1.60  to  $2  per  day.  They  stated  that  the 
net  earnings  of  many  of  these  immigrant  families  are  only  $400  to  $500  a  year,  and 
admitted  that  it  would  not  be  possible  for  American  families  to  maintain  themselves 
upon  these  wages,  but  thej-  could  get  immigrant  workers  at  these  wages.  The  most 
convincing  evidence,  however,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Committee,  regarding  the  question 
as  to  whether  an  immigrant  upon  reaching  New  York  is  able  to  earn  enough  to 
maintain  himself  and  family,  is  the  fact  that  $800  is  the  minimum  upon  which  a 
man,  his  wife  and  three  children  under  working  age  can  maintain  themselves  in  Man- 
hattan and  most  of  The  Bronx  and  Brooklyn.  This  means,  of  course,  an  adequate 
number  of  rooms  for  the  family  and  sufificient  food  and  clothing,  so  that  the  family 
may  not  only  be  able  to  maintain  themselves  at  present,  but  save  a  reasonable  amount. 
Immigrants  in  the  main  are  not  getting  this  wage  for  some  time  after  coming  to  New 
Y'ork  City.  The  evidence  presented  by  Mr.  C.  L.  Sulzburger  shows  that  Hebrews, 
for  instance,  live  in  most  congested  conditions  for  a  series  of  years  in  the  effort  to 
save  enough  to  get  out  of  congestion  and  afford  the  American  standard  of  living,  but 
that  they  live  for  a  period  of  from  five  to  seven  and  eight  years  in  these  conditions. 
His  only  contention  was  that  there  are  worse  conditions  than  these  conditions  for 
people  to  live  under,  since  in  certain  countries  they  are  not  allowed  to  live  at  all. 

Prof.  Henrjr  R.  Seager,  of  Columbia  University,  stated  that  the  evidence  tends 
to  show  that  the  immigrants  are  reducing  wages  in  New  York  City,  although  he  could 
not  give  figures  indicating  to  what  extent  this  has  and  is  being  done. 

It  is  evident  that  many  immigrants  come  to  America  for  the  purpose  of  earning 
enough  to  return  to  their  own  country,  and  while  here  live  at  a  low  standard,  as  stated 
by  the  reports  of  the  Bureau  of  Immigration  and  admitted  by  many  witnesses  before 
your  Committee.  Many  of  them  stay  in  New  York  City  and  work  for  practically  any 
wages  they  can  get,  this  being  considered  thrift.  The  housing  conditions  in  New 
York  Citj'  are  responsible  for  the  slaughter  of  many  thousands  of  immigrants  an- 
nually, as  well  as  for  the  slaughter  of  many  American  citizens.  This  is  not  uniquely 
a  question  of  immigration;  the  insanitary  housing  conditions,  however,  have  resulted 
in  placing  a  very  heavy  burden  upon  the  charities  of  the  citj'.  Definite  figures  are 
not  available  as  to  the  extent  to  which  immigrants  cause  this  large  expenditure. 
Mr.  Sulzburger  pointed  to  the  fact  that  a  comparatively  small  number  of  immigrants 
arriving  during  a  year  call  upon  the  charities  of  the  cit}^  for  assistance  during  that 
year.  He  admitted,  however,  that  many  of  these  immigrants  are  living  below  the 
standard  of  efficiency,  and  while  they  are  not  dependents  at  present  they  will  inevitably 
become  dependents  if  the  wage  earner  becomes  sick  and  unable  to  provide  for  his  fam- 
ily, through  insufficient  nutrition  and  improper  housing  conditions.  How  many  immi- 
grants are  maintained  during  the  first  three  or  four  years  of  their  residence  in  New 
York  by  private  charit}',  so  that  they  will  not  become  public  charges  and  therefore 
subject  to  deportation,  is  not  known. 

Fourth — Do  inunigrauts  increase  crime  and  delinquency  in  the  City? 

The  Committee  have  not  had  sufficient  evidence  presented  based  upon  the  knowl- 
edge of  present  distribution  of  immigrants  in  New  York  City,  to  prove  whether  there 
is  any  larger  percentage  of  crime  and  delinquency  among  immigrants  living  tmder 
normal  conditions  of  density  and  room  occupancy  than  among  native-born  Americans, 
with  the  exception  of  those  lapses  or  failures  to  comply  with  city  ordinances  which 
they  do  not  xmderstand. 

Reference  has  been  made,  however,  in  the  evidence  presented  before  the  Com- 
mittee to  the  disregard  of  the  rights  of  property  by  immigrant  tenants  and  the  wilful 
demolition  of  and  injury  to  such  property  very  frequently.  On  the  other  hand  the  ten- 
dency of  congested  conditions  of  immigrants  is  to  impel  them  to  misdemeanors  of 
various  sorts. 

Fifth — Are  further  measures  needed  to  restrict  immigration  and  distribute  immi- 
grants? 

The  Committee  appreciate  that  the  present  system  of  distributing  immigrants  is 
inadequate  as  the  statistics  show  the  total  number  of  immigrants  distributed  by  the 
charitable  agencies,  employment  exchanges  and  the  City,  State  and  Federal  institutions 
aggregate  so  far  as  can  be  ascertained  less  than  60.000  persons  a  year,  counting  even 
those  that  have  been  placed  two  and  three  times,  while  the  citv's  population  increases 
verj-  rapidly. 


188 

In  his  evidence  before  the  State  Commission  on  Immigration  in  New  York  in 
1909,  Mr.  Sulzburger,  who  was  at  that  time  President  of  the  Industrial  Removal 
Agency,  which  is  exclusively  concerned  with  the  distribution  of  Hebrews  of  New 
York  City,  stated : 

"A  careful  scrutiny  is  made  by  the  office  here  of  all  applicants  for  removal  and 
of  the  total  number  who  apply;  less  than  one-half  (J/4)  are  sent.  Only  those  are  se- 
lected who,  upon  investigation,  give  promise  of  making  successful  workers.  The  shift- 
less, the  lacy  and  the  incompetent  arc  carefully  zveeded  out  and  refused  consideration." 

These  classes  are  apt  to  remain  in  New  York  City  and  they  inevitably  make  serious 
problems  for  the  City  authorities  or  for  private  charities.  It  is  unfortunately  the 
case  that  the  public  is  obliged  to  look  after  these  people  in  the  long  run  and  the 
authority  which  is  ultimately  held  responsible  for  the  support  of  the  immigrants  must 
be  permitted  to  exercise  closer  control  over  them. 

As  to  the  physical  conditions  of  immigrants  in  New  Y'ork  City,  adequate  statistics 
have  been  prepared  by  Dr.  William  H.  Guilfoy,  Registrar  of  Records  of  the  Board 
of  Health,  and  by  Dr.  Antonio  Stella,  a  prominent  Italian  physician,  showing  that 
the  death  rate  among  Italians  is  extremely  high,  and  even  .imong  Jews  in  the  con- 
gested districts  is  much  higher  than  the  normal  death  rate  among  Jews  living  in  smaller 
cities  and  rural  districts. 

The  Committee  believe  that  immigration  undoubtedly  causes  undue  congestion 
of  population  per  acre  and  frightful  room  overcrowding  under  the  present  laws,  and 
with  the  present  attitude  of  the  public  toward  the  enforcement  of  these  laws.  The 
Committee,  however,  equally  feel  that  the  conditions  existing  among  immigrants  in 
New  York  City  to-day  are  due  primarily  not  to  the  fact  that  we  have  such  a  large 
number  of  immigrants,  but  distinctly  to  the  four  following  facts : 

1st.  The  merciless  way  in  which  immigrants  have  been  exploited  by  the  real 
estate  interests,  manufacturing  interests,  railroads  and  bankers. 

2d.  That  the  immigrants  coming  here  in  recent  years  from  countries  where  thev' 
are  used  to  close  police  supervision  and  control  find  in  our  American  cities  no  control 
over  them  such  as  they  have  been  accustomed  to,  while  they  desire  to  avoid  even 
restraint,  and  some  decline  to  obey  even  the  laws  they  thoroughly  understand. 

3d.  To  the  City  and  State's  failure  to  exercise  proper  control  over  immigrants 
and  to  enforce  the  laws  of  the  City  and  State  in  this  regard. 

4th.  To  the  lack  of  control  by  the  City  over  the  real  estate  interests,  the  traction 
interests,  including  the  railroads  of  the  City,  and  failure  to  enforce  the  laws  with  refer- 
ence to  these  interests. 

The  presence  of  immigrants  in  large  numbers  in  this  country  has  been  an  excuse 
for  the  continuation  of  congestion  and  room  overcrowding,  but  is  not  necessarily 
the  primary  cause  of  these  conditions. 

The  Committee,  therefore,  in  making  their  recommendations  as  to  methods  of 
dealing  with  immigration  to  prevent  congestion,  appreciate  that  the  problem  is  not 
purely  a  city  problem,  that  it  is  as  well  a  State  and  Federal  problem.  They  would, 
however,  make  the  following  recommendations,  dividing  them  into  three  parts  :  Federal 
action,  Municipal  action  and  State  action,  since  they  feel  that  the  problem  is  not 
primarily  a  problem  of  restricting  immigration  as  suggested  by  the  Federal  Immigra- 
tion Commission  to  a  certain  percentage  of  the  average  of  each  arriving  during  a 
given  period  or  year,  to  those  unable  to  read  or  write  in  some  language,  and  the 
exclusion  of  unskilled  laborers  unaccompanied  by  wife  or  family,  and  placing  a  lim- 
itation of  the  arrivals  annually  at  any  port,  or  even  materially  increasing  the  amount 
of  money  to  be  in  the  possession  of  immigrants  at  the  port  of  arrival. 

The  Committee  feel,  however,  that  emphasis  should  be  laid  on  admitting  every 
class  of  immigrants  upon  probation  for  a  definite  period  of  time,  that  the  right  of 
deportation  or  rejection  must  continue  during  that  time,  and  that  citizenship  or  even 
residence  in  the  country  must  be  made  more  valuable  or  valued,  and  closer  super- 
vision and  control  over  immigrants  exercised  by  Federal  authorities  by  States  and  by 
Localities. 

Recommendations  of  the  Committee  on   Inunigration. 

The  Committee  recommend : 

First — ^Policies  which,  in  their  judgment,  must  be  undertaken  to  prevent  immigrants 
from  working  in  congested  districts  and  from  living  in  overcrowded  rooms. 

Second — Matters  which  the  Committee  believe  should  be  taken  up  at  once. 
I.     Recommendations   in   Reference   to    Policy   Which   in    Their   Judgment    Must    Be 
Undertaken    to    Prevent    Immigrants    From    Working   in    Congested    Districts    and 
From  Living  in  Overcrowded  Rooms. 

Large  numbers  of  poor  and  unskilled  immigrants  are  allowed  to  remain  in  this 
country  under  no  supervision  or  control  by  the  Government  unless  some  flagrant 
breach  of  the  law  is  brought  to  official  notice  or  unless  they  become  charges  upon 


189 

the  public  charities.  While  this  continues,  the  congestion  of  immigrants  in  tenements 
and  room  overcrowding  will  continue. 

The  Committee  have  studied  with  care  the  main  recommendations  of  the  Federal 
Commission  on  Immigration  and  especially  those  dealing  with  the  restriction  of  immi- 
grants and  methods  of  restricting  immigration.  While  they  recognize,  as  pointed  out 
in  the  conclusion  which  the  Committee  have  reached  with  the  evidence  presented  to 
them,  that  with  present  laws,  immigration  produces  to  some  extent  this  congestion 
and  room  overcrowding,  the  Committee  nevertheless  feel  that  the  prevention  of 
these  two  evils  require  not  so  much  a  policy  of  restriction  as  of  distribution.  They 
would  agree  entirely  that  immoral  characters,  those  with  criminal  records  and  diseases, 
and  persons  of  similar  classes  should  be  excluded  as  suggested  by  the  report  of  the 
Federal  Immigration  Commission,  also  that  the  same  law  should  apply  to  those 
coming  to  the  country  as  seamen.  On  the  other  hand,  in  their  judgment  the  distri- 
bution of  immigrants  who  are  now  living  in  congested  districts,  the  prevention  of 
room  overcrowding  among  these  immigrants  as  also  the  prevention  of  these  conditions 
among  others  than  immigrants  that  come  in  the  future,  can  be  prevented  by  measures 
other  than  those  of  exclusion  suggested  by  the  Federal  Immigration  Commission.  The 
objects  to  be  obtained  by  exclusion  as  suggested  by  the  Federal  Immigration  Com- 
mission are  as  follows  : 

■■(a)  That  as  far  as  possible,  the  aliens  excluded  should  be  those  who  come  to 
this  country  with  no  intention  to  become  American  citizens  or  even  to  maintain  a 
permanent  residence  here,  but  merely  to  save  enough  by  the  adoption,  if  necessary, 
of  low  standards  of  living  to  return  permanently  to  their  home  country.  Such  persons 
are  usually  men  unaccompanied  by  wives  and  children. 

"(b)  That  a  sufficient  number  be  debarred  to  produce  a  marked  effect  upon  the 
present  supply  of  unskilled  labor. 

"(c)  That  as  far  as  possible  the  aliens  excluded  should  also  be  those  who,  by 
reason  of  their  personal  qualities  or  habits,  would  least  readily  be  assimilated  or 
would  make  the  least  desirable  citizens." 

The  following  methods  of  restricting  immigrants  have  been  suggested  by  the 
Federal  Commission  : 

'■(a)    The  exclusion  of  those  unable  to  read  or  write  in  some  language. 

"(b)  The  limitation  of  the  number  of  each  race  arriving  each  year  to  a  certain 
percentage  of  the  average  of  that  race  arriving  during  a  given  period  of  years. 

'■(c)    The  exclusion  of  unskilled  laborers  unaccompanied  by  wives  and   families. 

"(d)    The  limitation  of  the  number  of  immigrants  arriving  annually  at  any  port. 

"(e)  The  material  increase  in  the  amount  of  money  required  to  be  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  immigrants  at  the  port  of  arrival. 

"(f)    The  material  increase  of  the  head  tax. 

"(g)  The  levy  of  the  head  tax  so  as  to  make  a  marked  discrimination  in  favor  of 
men  with  families. 

"All  these  methods  would  be  effective  in  one  way  or  another  in  securing  restric- 
tion in  a  greater  or  less  degree.  A  majority  of  the  Commission  favor  the  reading 
and  writing  test  as  the  most  feasible  single  method  of  restricting  undesirable  immi- 
grants." 

The  Committee  urges  that  appropriate  legislation  be  enacted  to  do  away  with  the 
limitations  now  placed  upon  the  authority  of  the  Government  to  deport  aliens  for 
cause.  In  the  judgment  of  the  Committee,  there  should  be  no  time  limit  set  upon  this 
right. 

The  first  essential  to  securing  a  normal  distribution  of  immigration  is  to  prevent 
an  abnormal  congestion  where  they  are  not  needed  and  are  only  a  menace  to  the 
community  and  to  themselves  because  inevitably  victims  of  exploitation  or  charity, 
the  ultimate  results  of  which  are  almost  equally  bad.  In  order  to  accomplish  this,  it 
is  essential  that  the  Federal  Government  adopt  more  progressive  measures  to  keep  in 
closer  touch  with  and  more  immediate  control  over  the  immigrant  vmtil  he  becomes 
naturalized. 

The  number  of  unskilled  laborers  in  any  industrial,  commercial,  construction  or 
agricultural  community  should  not  exceed  a  certain  proportion  of  the  total  population 
of  the  community  gainfully  employed.  When  it  does  exceed  such  a  proportion,  the 
tendency  is  in  most  trades  inevitably  to  employ  unskilled  labor  at  very  low  wages  to 
do  skilled  work.  As  has  been  abundantly  demonstrated,  most  immigrants  are  un- 
skilled laborers  and  tend  to  lower  wages  below  the  minimum  required  to  maintain  the 
American  standard  of  living.  The  amount  per  year,  i.  e.,  the  minimum  wage,  of  course, 
varies  in  different  places. 

It  is,  however,  important  that  working  men  who  wish  to  maintain  a  decent  stand- 
ard of  living  should  not  have  their  chances  imperilled  by  uniskilled  immigrants.  To 
prevent  this,  a  first  step  is  to  establish  the  standard  of  living  conditions  which  may 


190 

be  properly  designated  American.  This  must  be  substantially  identical  throughout  the 
country,  and  although  localities  can  enforce  a  standard  of  housing,  i.  e.,  the  cubic 
air  space  required  for  each  occupant  of  a  house  or  tenement,  the  proportion  of  yard 
area  per  lot,  angle  of  sunshine  and  light  for  rooms,  they  will  be  greatly  assisted  in 
this  as  well  as  in  securing  proper  standards  of  feeding  by  the  force  of  publicity  as  to 
actual  conditions. 

The  Committee  urge  that  a  Department  of  Labor  co-ordinate  with  the  Depart- 
ment of  Commerce  is  most  important.  This  has  been  urged  by  the  American  Federa- 
tion of  Labor,  but  their  plan  should  be  somewhat  broadened  so  as  to  include  the  in- 
vestigation of  and  the  iniinediatc  publicity  of  the  actual  living  and  social  conditions  in 
the  cities  and  agricultural  districts  along  the  following  lines : 

L     Wages,  methods  and  frecpiency  of  payment  to  the  skilled  and  unskilled  trades. 

2.  Unemployment,  extent  and  causes  of ;  whether  permanent  or  intermittent,  and 
possibility  of  securing  other  or  supplementary  work  at  times  of  idleness  of  stated 
trades. 

3.  Hygienic  conditions  in  factories  and  other  places  of  employment, 

4.  Housing  conditions;  rent  for  two,  three,  four  or  five-room  apartments  within 
walking  distance  of  work  and  transit  facilities  and  fares. 

5.  Cost  of  main  staples  of  consumption. 

6.  Educational,  social  and  recreational  opportunities,  and  the  predominating 
nationalities  or  races. 

7.  Labor  conditions;  whether  the  shops  are  closed,  open  or  preferential;  attitude 
of  labor  unions  toward  unorganized  labor,  and  situation  as  to  strikes. 

Such  an  investigation,  followed  by  due  publicity,  should  show  the  real  and  not 
the  nominal  rate  of  waees. 

Such  investigation  has  ample  precedent  in  the  investigation  being  made  by  the 
Federal  Bureau  of  Labor  of  conditions  of  women  and  child  labor,  and  recently 
made  of  the  Bethlehem  Steel  Company.  Similar  investigations  are  made  in  England 
by  the  lioards  of  Trade,  and  by  similar  bodies  in  Continental  countries. 

It  will  be  much  easier  to  secure  impartial  reports  and  statements  from  Federal 
Investigations  than  from  either  local  or  state  investigations,  and  the  results  will  be : 
To  indicate  where  workers  skilled  or  unskilled  are  needed,  and  where  conditions  are 
such  that  to  send  immigrants  or  other  unskilled  workers  will  simply  further  clog  the 
labor  market  already  overcrowded  and  render  the  difificulty  of  securing  decent  living 
wages  even  greater,  and  will  enable  the  Bureau  of  Immigration  and  Naturalization  to 
direct  the  location  of  immigrants  to  great  advantage. 

It  stands  to  reason  that  there  is  no  demand  for  cheap  labor  in  the  cities  of  the 
United  States  where  there  is  now  a  large  surplus  of  unskilled  and  unemployed  workers 
and  where  the  cost  of  living  is  so  great  that  unskilled  laborers  cannot  earn  the  mini- 
mum or  living  wage,  and  therefore  should  not  attempt  to  locate. 

It  is  nevertheless  to  such  places,  \.  e.,  the  larger  cities  of  the  country  that  many 
immigrants  are  going. 

Evidence  presented  before  the  Committee  shows  that  although  some  immigrants 
develop  diseases  after  coming  to  this  country  due  to  conditions  prior  to  their  arrival, 
that  the  conditions  under  which  they  are  living  in  this  country  impair  the  health, 
vitality  and  earning  capacity  of  a  large  proportion  of  them. 

The  Committee  recommend  that  a  system  more  nearly  similar  to  the  Canadian 
system  should  be  adopted  and  measures  taken  for  carrying  it  into  effect  by  which 
immigrants  coming  for  farm  labor  may  be  admitted  and  be  directed  to  farm  labor, 
and  they  raise  the  question  whether  it  would  not  be  preferable  within  a  short  time, 
as  soon  as  the  Federal  Government  can  develop  a  proper  system  of  control  of  condi- 
tions of  labor,  to  reconsider  the  contract  clause  of  the  Immigration  Law.  In  their 
judgment,  the  suggestion  made  as  to  the  supervision  of  immigrants  by  the  Federal 
Government  will  not  constitute  a  menace  to  labor  standards  of  the  country  and  the 
welfare  of  the  laborers  of  the  countr}-. 

The  Committee  recommend  that  most  drastic  measures  be  taken  to  prevent  the 
artificial  stimulation  of  immigration  now  in  active  operation. 

II.  Recommendations  in  Reference  to  the  Matters  Which  the  Committee  Believe 
Should  Be  Taken  Up  at  Once.  Steps  to  Be  Undertaken  by  the  Municipal  Govern- 
ment to  Prevent  Congestion  of  Population  and  Room  Overcrowding  Among  Immi- 
grants. 

First — The  Committee  recommend  that  the  law  regarding  room  overcrowding  be 
vigorously  enforced  and  in  making  this  recommendation  they  realize  that  the  diffi- 
culty in  so  doing  is  very  great,  but  not  unsurmountable,  although  added  machinery  of 
Government  may  be  needed  to  secure  adequate  enforcement.  In  the  judgment  of 
the  Committee  this  can  best  be  done  by  placarding  the  rooms,  apartments,  etc.,  show- 
ing the   number   of   occupants,   adults  or   minors,   or   both,   permitted   in   the   apart- 


191 

ment.  This  should  of  course  be  in  the  language  of  the  occupants  and  will  tend  to 
impress  upon  them  the  necessity  of  complying  with  the  mandates  of  the  law,  although 
they  are  probably  in  complete  ignorance  of  the  existence  even  of  the  law  at  the 
time. 

Second — -The  Committee  recommend  that  since  there  is  now  a  State  Bureau  of 
Industries  and  Immigration  designed  to  protect  the  interests  of  immigrants  in  New 
York  State,  co-operation  in  the  enforcement  of  the  law  regarding  overcrowding  of 
immigrants  in  rooms  should  be  urged  upon  this  Bureau,  since  they  already  know 
where  immigrants  are  located  and  are  endeavoring  to  assist  them  in  adapting  them- 
selves to  conditions  in  New  York  City,  as  has  been  indicated  earlier  in  the  report  by 
arranging  for  their  transferring  directly  from  Ellis  Island  to  their  destination  in  the 
City.  Only  in  this  way  can  enforcement  of  this  law  be  secured  among  newly  arrived 
immigrants,  and  the  Committee  would  suggest  further,  that  the  Bureau  of  Industries 
and  Immigration  should  be  urged  to  make  careful  inspection  of  the  conditions  under 
which  immigrants  are  living,  especially  as  to  overcrowding  in  rooms,  since  this  feature 
would  be  uniquely  difficult  to  have  generally  applied  throughout  the  City,  and  to  report 
to  the  Tenement  House  Department  cases  of  violation  of  the  law  against  overcrowding. 

Third — It  is  well  known  and  has  been  demonstrated  to  the  Committee  that  there 
are  many  recent  immigrants  in  New  York  City  to-day  unable  to  maintain  themselves 
in  congested  districts  without  room  overcrowding  because  they  are  not  earning  enough 
upon  reaching  New  York  City.  It  is  equally  true  that  many  of  the  immigrants  who 
have  been  here  for  some  time  are  unable  to  earn  the  minimum  living  wage  for  the 
City. 

The  Committee  therefore  recommend  that  the  City  and  State  alike  should  acquire 
tracts  of  land  in  the  City  and  State  respectively,  where  immigrants  who  have  had 
some  training  as  farm  laborers  may  have  an  opportunity  to  live  and  work  as  farm 
laborers.  Ample  precedent  for  such  action  by  the  State  is  to  be  found  in  the  various 
State  Institutions.  Thus  at  the  State  Agricultural  and  Industrial  School  at  Industry, 
located  upon  a  tract  of  1,432  acres,  are  19  farm  colonies  of  the  type  suggested  for 
immigrants.  Boys  ranging  in  age  from  7  to  16  years  are  committed  to  this  institu- 
tion and  all  the  labor  on  the  farm  and  gardening  is  done  by  the  boys  for  whom  the 
school  cares.  The  total  value  of  all  farm  products  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  Septem- 
ber 30,  1910,  was  $37,913.36,  and  the  total  cost,  including  interest  on  the  original 
investment  with  farm  stock,  tools,  etc.,  and  on  land  used  purely  for  farm  purposes, 
1,200  acres,  w^as  only  $17,244,  leaving  a  net  balance  of  over  $20,000.  Similar  results 
may  under  proper  management  be  expected  from  such  farms  as  suggested  by  your 
Committee. 

Fourth — The  Committee  appreciate  that  the  heights  of  tenements  should  be  re- 
duced if  immigrants  or  others  are  to  live  at  less  than  a  given  maximum  density  of 
population  per  acre,  but  the}^  recognize  that  this  applies  to  all  residents  of  the  city 
and  is  based  upon  economic  conditions  of  the  individual  family  and  not  primarily 
upon  race  or  nationality. 

Fifth — The  Committee  recommend  that  a  list  of  night  schools  in  New  York  City 
be  given  all  immigrants  arriving  at  Ellis  Island,  giving  New  York  Cit}'  as  their 
destination,  with  a  statement  of  the  advantages  which  can  be  derived  from  attendance 
of  these  schools  in  helping  people  to  learn  English,  since  as  Mr.  G.  E.  di  Palma  Cas- 
tiglione,  manager  of  the  Labor  Information  Office  for  Italians,  stated  before  the 
Committee  : 

"The  ignorance  of  English  is  the  strongest  barrier  to  the  distribution  of  immi- 
grants and  it  is  the  main  cause  of  their  colonizing  in  certain  places.  Foreigners  who 
do  not  know  English  feel  lost  when  they  are  not  surroundM  hv  people  who  under- 
stand their  own  language.  There  are  many  immigrants  who  have  never  gone  out 
from  the  districts  inhabited  by  their  countrymen. 

"Ignorance  of  English  prevents  foreign  laborers  from  becoming  acquainted  with 
opportunities  existing  outside  of  the  places  where  they  live." 

Mr.  di  Palma  Castiglione  advocated  compulsory  teaching  of  English  to  each  adult 
resident  of  the  city  who  cannot  prove  that  he  does  know  the  language.  In  the  judg- 
ment of  the  Committee  this  is  not  entirely  feasible  at  present,  but  the  plan  they  out- 
line with  the  co-operation  of  the  Department  of  Industries  and  Immigration  can  be 
carried  out  fully.  The  early  knowledge  of  English  is  essential  to  the  real  assimilation 
of  immigrants  and  not  only  to  help  them  to  secure  employment  but  as  well  to  protect 
them  from  exploitation. 

Sixth — ^The  Committee  recommend  that  legislation  be  introduced  amending  the 
present  procedure  of  the  courts  so  that  the  aliens  subject  to  deportation  on  convic- 
tion of  crime  shall  be  convicted  by  the  Court  and  sentence  suspended  instead  of  having 
them  serve  it  in  prison,  while  they  are  immediately  deported.  At  the  present  time 
manv  aliens  convicted  of  crime  are  employed  in  manufacturing  in  the  State  Prisons 


192 

wliilc  immigrants  and  citizens  alike  are  without  work.  In  the  judgment  of  the  Com- 
mittee the  giving  of  this  work  to  people  now  living  in  congested  districts  would  be 
of  material  help  to  them. 

Statement  Submitted  to  the  Committee  on  Immigration. 

A.  Statement  Submitted  by  the  Hon.  William  Williams,  Federal  Commissioner 
of  Immigration. 

Mr.  Williams  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  present  laws  were  not  adequate  to 
keep  all  undesirables  out  of  the  country.  They  are  good  so  far  as  they  go  when 
properly  enforced,  but  they  do  not  reach  a  class  of  immigrants  whose  standard  of 
living  is  so  low  as  to  render  their  competition  with  the  American  workman  too  low 
for  the  latter.  He  was  of  the  opinion  that,  if  a  way  could  be  found  to  keep  out,  say, 
20  or  25  per  cent.,  of  the  immigrants  coming  here  representing  the  poorest  elements, 
the  country  would  be  better  off.  He  favored  good  immigration  as  strongly  as  he 
was  opposed  to  bad  immigration. 

He  stated  that  the  Government  does  not  follow  up  immigration  after  they  land. 
It  takes  their  statement  as  to  where  they  are  going,  and,  except  in  rare  instances, 
does  nothing  further  unless  they  are  reported  back  as  having  become  public  charges 
or  entered  in  violation  of  law  (in  which  case  within  three  years  they  may  be  arrested 
and  deported). 

When  asked  whether  he  considered  the  present  immigration  natural  or  artificial, 
Mr.  Williams  stated  that  a  certain  proportion  of  it  was  stimulated  and  artificial. 
What  proportion  of  it  is  not  easy  to  say,  perhaps  15  or  20  per  cent.  The  stimulation 
occurs  largely  through  runners  who,  though  not  regular  agents  of  the  steamship  lines, 
nevertheless  receive  a  commission  for  those  whom  they  induce  to  emigrate.  To  what 
extent  foreign  governments  are  active  in  sending  immigrants  to  the  United  States 
is  not  definitely  known.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  various  governmental  agencies  abroad 
are  not  averse  to  seeing  their  undesirable  emigrate. 

Asked  as  to  the  distribution  of  immigration  by  Government  methods,  Mr.  Williams 
said  that,  if  the  United  States  is  to  continue  to  allow  people  to  come  here  who  will 
not  distribute  themselves,  then  the  next  best  thing  to  do  is  to  try  and  distribute  them. 
It  remains  to  be  seen  how  successful  such  attempts  will  be.  It  is  an  extremely  difficult 
matter  to  make  people  go  and  stay  in  places  not  of  their  own  selection. 

Much  of  the  difficulty  with  the  undesirable  minority  of  its  immigration  consists 
in  the  fact  that  it  persists  in  going  to  the  congested  districts,  where  its  presence  is 
not  required.  Many  of  to-day's  immigrants  do  not  possess  the  characteristics  needed 
to  make  them  successful  at  farming  or  developing  new  territory. 

B.  Part  of  Statement  Submitted  by  Mr.  Cyrus  L.  Sulzberger,  President  of  the 
United  Hebrews  Charities. 

He  said  that  we  must  not  approach  the  subject  of  congestion  in  any  state  of 
hysteria,  as  this  is  not  the  best  state  of  mind  in  which  to  deal  with  a  great  question, 
in  which  the  prosperity  of  the  City  is  involved.  We  have  to  deal  with  a  great 
problem  in  the  greatest  city  of  the  United  States,  and  to  remedy  an  evil  without 
destroying  or  lessening  the  greatness  of  the  city.  This  must  be  done  with  calmness 
and  deliberation,  and  with  a  full  familiarity  of  all  the  facts  and  influences  involved. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  the  congestion  in  The  City  of  New  York  is  due  to 
immigration.  Even  so  far  as  congestion  is  due  to  increase  in  population,  it  is  not  due 
to  immigration,  because  the  increase  in  population  has  been  greater  in  other  cities 
than  it  has  in  New  York,  and  particularly  than  it  has  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan, 
which  is  the  congested  borough  of  The  City  of  New  York.  The  increase  in  popula- 
tion since  the  last  census  is  for  the  whole  City,  37.7  per  cent,  and  for  the  Borough  of 
Manhattan,  26  per  cent.     Many  cities  in  the  State  have  grown  largely  in  excess  of  this. 

The  returns  from  these  widely  scattered  cities,  which  could  be  multiplied  in- 
definitely almost,  many  of  which  are  not  affected  by  the  tide  of  immigration,  indicate 
that  the  growth  of  cities  is  due  to  other  causes.  It  will  probably  be  found  when  the 
census  returns  are  complete  that  the  increase  in  population  of  cities  is  far  in  excess 
of  the  increase  in  foreign-born  residents,  and  is  due  to  a  tendency  to  urban  industrial 
production  rather  than  rural.  There  has  been  a  continuous  draft  on  the  part  of  the 
cities  from  the  country,  and  to  the  extent  that  immigration  has  settled  in  cities,  it 
has  checked  such  draft. 

Increase  in  population  per  acre  does  not  necessarily  mean  increase  in  congestion. 
It  may  mean  housing  facilities  for  a  larger  number.  A  small  three-story  tenement 
house,  remodeled  from  a  private  house,  such  as  abounds  on  the  west  side  of  this  City, 
may  be  replaced  by  a  model  tenement,  containing  housing  facilities  for  many  times 
the  number  of  the  original  building  and  with  far  less  congestion. 

Replying  to  the  statement  that  the  immigrants  lower  the  American  standard  of 
living  because  of  the  low  wages  that  are  paid,  the  following  is  quoted  from  the  testi- 


193 

mony  of  Mr.  Sulzberger  before  the  House  of  Representatives'  Committee  on  Immigra- 
tion and  Naturalization  at  the  hearing  held  on  March   11,   1910: 

"The  men's  and  women's  clothing  industry  is  one  which  is  almost  exclusively  in 
the  hands  of  these  immigrants,  both  as  employers  and  employees,  and  gives  us, 
therefore,  an  almost  perfect  illustration  of  their  influence  upon  industry,  and  their 
tendency  to  reduce  or  elevate  the  standard  of  living.  We  find  by  the  Census  Report 
on  Manufacturing  (part  1,  1905,  p.  234,  table  169)  that,  while  the  product  of  all 
industries  increased  from  $11,411,000,000  in  1900  to  $14,802,000,000  in  1905,  an  increase 
of  29.7  per  cent.,  the  clothing  industry  increased  from  $436,000,000  in  1900  to  $604,- 
000,000  in  1905,  an  increase  of  38.5  per  cent.  Iii  other  words,  while  in  1900  clothing 
formed  3.8  per  cent,  of  all  industries,  in  1905  it  formed  4.1  per  cent,  of  all  industries. 
Only  last  month  a  clothing  manufacturer  from  New  York  returned  from  abroad,  hav- 
ing established  agencies  in  London,  Paris,  Berlin,  Vienna,  Brussels  and  other  cities  for 
New  York  made  clothing.  This  is  the  second  or  third  manufacturer  who  has 
recently  put  American-made  clothing  into  European  markets,  and  in  all  likelihood  a 
large  foreign  commerce  in  manufactured  clothing,  the  product  of  immigration  labor, 
will  ensue." 

In  reply  to  the  suggestion  of  the  Secretary  that  wages  paid  to  the  highest  grade 
of  workers  influence  the  average,  Mr.  Sulzberger  agreed  that  this  was  so,  but  attention 
is  drawn  to  the  fact  that  it  is  equally  true  in  all  other  industries,  and  if  the  wages  paid 
to  immigrants  are  as  high  or  higher  than  those  paid  to  others,  it  follows  that  they 
do  not  lower  the  standard. 

In  reply  to  the  suggestion  made  by  one  of  the  previous  speakers  that  immigration 
lowers  the  political  morality  of  the  country,  Mr.  Sulzberger  quoted  conditions  existing 
in  some  of  the  rural  communities  where,  despite  the  fact  that  the  population  was 
almost  wholly  native,  a  shocking  condition  was  disclosed  as  to  the  very  common 
purchase  and  sale  of  votes. 

Mr.  Sulzberger  said  on  the  subject  of  assimilation  that  this  was  a  difficult  term 
to  define.  He  believed  that  no  better  test  of  assimilation  could  be  found  than  the 
extent  to  which  the  immigrants  take  advantage  of  having  their  children  educated. 
Upon  this  subject  he  quoted  the  following  figures: 

"We  find  by  the  census  report  (population,  part  2,  table  10,  p.  106)  the  following 
percentage  of  illiteracy : 


"United  States    

"North  Atlantic   

"South  Atlantic   

"North    Central    

"South  Central   

"Western   Division    

So  that  in  every  separate  division  the  illiteracy  is  greater  among  native-born  children 
of  native  parents  than  illiteracy  among  the  native-born  children  of  foreign  parents." 
•  From  all  the  instances  thus  cited,  industrially,  politically  and  educationally,  Mr. 
Sulzberger  drew  the  inference  that  immigration  has  not  the  tendency  to  degrade  any 
of  our  standards  in  these  regards. 

In  reference  to  the  statement  made  by  Dr.  Laidlaw  that  11  per  cent,  of  the 
Russian  immigrants  into  the  United  States  in  the  past  50  years  was  now  residing  in 
the  section  south  of  14th  st.  and  east  of  4th  ave..  Mr.  Sulzberger  called  attention  to 
the  fact  that  what  this  meant  was  that  a  part  equal  to  11  per  cent,  of  the  total  was 
residing  there,  but  not  that  11  per  cent,  of  each  year's  immigrants  were  there. 
What  he  desired  to  bring  out  was  the  fact  that  the  population  on  the  lower  East  Side 
was  a  continual  shifting  population,  settling  on  the  lower  East  Side  immediately  after 
arrival  and  moving  away  therefrom  as  soon  as  financial  and  social  conditions  war- 
ranted. People  naturally  sought  in  the  first  instance  to  associate  with  those  people 
who  spoke  their  own  language,  but,  after  they  had  been  here  a  few  years  and 
succeeded  in  finding  their  bearings,  they  left  that  section  and  moved  elsewhere.  While 
there  is  continually  a  congested  population  on  the  lower  East  Side,  it  is  not  continually 
the  same  population,  but  dififerent  people  who  lived  under  these  congested  conditions 
for  a  comparatively  short  period  of  time. 

The  moving  of  industry  from  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  to  outlying  boroughs 
will  not  of  itself  cure  congestion,  unless  accompanied  by  restrictive  legislation  as  to- 
the  height  of  buildings  and  the  number  of  persons  permitted  to  live  in  one  room,  as 


Native  Parents. 

Foreign  Parents. 

of 

of 

Native  Whites 

Native  Whites 

5.7 

1.6 

1.7 

15 

12.0 

2.1 

2.8 

1.3 

11.6 

6.8 

3.4 

1.3 

194 

otherwise  new  quarters  and  congestion  will  arise  about  the  removed  industries.  In 
the  Borough  of  Manhattan  the  height  of  buildings,  both  in  offices  and  factories,  and 
especially  for  factories,  should  be  restricted,  and  the  making  of  goods  in  tenement 
houses  should  be  hampered  in  every  way  that  the  law  will  permit. 

The  one  promptly  available  remedy  is  adequate  rapid  transit.  More  bridges,  more 
tunnels  and  more  facilities  for  getting  over  the  one  and  through  the  other  will 
enable  those  people  who  are  obliged  to  work  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  to  get 
out  of  that  borough  into  homes  of  their  own.  There  has  never  been  a  time  when 
the  transportation  facilities  provided  have  not  been  overtaxed,  showing  a  desire  on 
the  part  of  the  people  to  get  out  of  the  congested  sections  far  in  excess  of  the 
facilities  given  them  so  to  do. 

C. — Statement  submitted  by  Mr.  Morris  D.  Waldman,  Secretary  of  the  United 
Hebrew  Charities. 

A  representative  of  the  Junior  Order  of  Mechanics  quoted  from  the  27th  annual 
report  of  the  United  Hebrew  Charities,  in  which  increasing  Jewish  immigration  was 
deplored  because  it  increased  the  number  of  Jewish  dependents  in  the  city.  Mr. 
Waldman  stated  that,  though  not  connected  with  the  organization  at  that  time  and 
not  familiar  with  conditions  confronting  it,  he  believed  that  the  strong  language  in 
which  the  report  was  couched  was  prompted  by  the  desire  to  secure  an  increase  in 
contributions.  But,  be  that  as  it  may,  during  the  year  in  which  the  report  was 
published,  the  applicants  at  the  United  Hebrew  Charities  numbered  over  10,000, 
whereas  during  the  current  vear  just  ending,  the  applicants  numbered  8,000  (the  actual 
figures  are  over  11,000  for  1901  and  9,000  for  this  year),  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 
Jewish  population  of  the  city  has  doubled  since  that  time,  showing  that  the  increase 
in  the  number  of  Jewish  immigrants  in  The  City  of  New  York  did  not  increase 
dependency  among  the  Jews. 

Mr.  Waldman  called  the  attention  of  the  Commission  to  sundry  facts  that  were 
submitted  last  spring  to  the  House  Committee  on  Immigration  at  Washington  by  a 
committee  of  the  American  Jewish  Committee,  showing  that,  though  illiteracy  is 
more  prevalent  among  Italian  and  Jewish  immigrants  and  less  prevalent  among  British 
and  French  immigrants,  it  was  characteristic,  in  an  inverse  proportion,  of  prostitutes 
and  procurers  arriving  at  our  shores. 

He  took  occasion  to  warn  the  Commission  against  accepting  general  statements 
as  facts,  illustrating  the  danger  in  the  following  way : 

"(a).  A  sweeping  statement  was  made  by  one  of  the  speakers  to  the  effect  that 
immigrants  were  filling  our  prisons  and  penitentiaries.  Mr.  Waldman  again  quoted 
from  the  testimony  of  the  American  Jewish  Committee  at  Washington,  showing  that, 
though  the  alien  population  in  this  country  of  males  20  years  of  age  and  over,  accord- 
ing to  the  last  census  reports,  was  20  per  cent,  of  the  entire  male  population  of  the 
same  ages,  the  number  of  male  aliens  in  the  prisons  over  20  years  of  age  was  less  than 
22  per  cent. 

"(b).  In  reply  to  the  general  complaint  that  immigrants  were  forcing  native 
workmen  out  of  employment,  he  quoted  his  personal  experience  throughout  the  country, 
showing  the  demand  for  labor  in  the  interior  far  in  excess  of  the  supply.  He  called 
attention  of  the  Commission  also  to  the  fact  that  labor  was  so  scarce  that  one  state, 
South  Carolina,  of  its  own  accord  and  at  it  own  expense  imported  about  500  immi- 
grants to  its  territory. 

"(c).  In  reply  to  the  complaint  that  the  immigrants  in  accepting  lower  wages 
were  reducing  the  standard  of  living,  he  stated  that  he  saw  a  large  contingent  of  these 
immigrants  gather  before  the  office  of  the  Commissioner  of  Labor  and  Immigration  in 
South  Carolina  and  complain  bitterly  that  the  wages  offered  to  them  were  far  below 
those  which  they  had  received  in  their  native  country.  Further,  he  quoted  from  the 
testimony  of  the  American  Jewish  Committee,  showing  that  in  the  garment  industries, 
which  were  practically  entirely  controlled  and  engaged  in  by  our  immigrant  popula- 
tion, the  per  capita  wage,  both  among  males  and  females,  was  considerably  in  excess  of 
the  average  w^age  in  all  industries." 

Mr.  Waldman  also  expressed  it  as  his  belief  that  though  there  is  congestion  in 
this  city,  it  is  not  in  excess  of  what  it  was  ten  years  ago ;  that  figures  of  school  regis- 
tration which  he  had  secured  from  the  Board  of  Education  about  a  year  ago  showed 
the  population  in  the  most  congested  quarter  of  the  city,  namely,  below  Houston  street 
and  East  of  the  Bowery,  to  be  little  higher  than  registration  at  the  time  of  the  con- 
solidation of  the  Boroughs  into  the  City  of  New  York  in  spite  of  the  tremendous  in- 
crease of  population.  He  also  called  the  attention  of  the  (Commission  to  the  general 
distribution  of  Jewish  population  all  over  the  greater  city. 

His  opinions  that  congestion  among  Jews  on  the  lower  East  Side  was  caused  by 
economic  conditions;  that  most  of  the  people,  directly  or  indirectly,  were  dependent 


195 

upon  the  garment  industries,  and  that  these  were  situated  within  walking  distance.  So 
long  as  the  wages  were  low,  making  the  carfare  and  lunch  money  a  serious  item  in 
the  worker's  weekly  budget,  and  so  long  as  the  working  hours  were  many,  this  condition 
of  overcrowding  would  continue. 

He  also  stated  that  insufficient  transportation  facilities  were  a  serious  factor  in 
preventing  a  larger  distribution  of  the  population,  and  that  though  there  was  direct 
relation  between  immigration  and  increase  in  population,  he  could  see  very  little  re- 
laction  between  immigration  and  congestion. 

Nationalities  in  Congested  Areas  and  Blocks. 
The  data  regarding  nationalities  in  congested  areas  and  blocks  has  been  compiled 
by  Dr.  Walter  Laidlaw,  Secretary  of  the  Federation  of  Churches  and  Christian  Organi- 
zations.   The  data  regarding  nationality  in  1910  is  not  available,  the  last  being  for  1905. 
Irish  and  German,  the  leading  foreign  peoples  of  Manhattan  in  1900,  have  been 
displaced  by  Russians  and  Italians. 

All  four  of  these  nationalities  were  in  100,000  class  of  1905,  and  the  Italians  were 
the  only  group  of  the  four  having  below  100,000  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  in  1900. 
The  following  is  the  order  of  foreign  nationalities  in  Manhattan  in  1905  : 
Russian,  practically  200,000:  Italian,  155.000;  Irish,  125,000;  German,  115,000:  Aus- 
trian. 8O,0C0;  Hungarian,  35,000;  Poles,  25.000;  Roumanian,  21,000;  Bohemian,  10,000, 
with  33  other  nationalities  under  10,000. 

The  122  blocks  in  Manhattan  having  in  1905  a  density  of  over  750  people  per  acre 
have  been  especially  counted,  65.7  per  cent,  of  the  312,642  people  in  1905  in  blocks  of  750 
per  acre  were  foreign-born,  and  only  34.25  per  cent.  American-born.  The  foreign-born 
in  Manhattan  numbered,  in  1905,  890,142,  and  205,151  of  them,  or  over  23  per  cent.,  were 
domiciled  in  blocks  having  above  750  people  per  acre,  while  less  than  9  per  cent,  of 
American-born  were  living  under  like  conditions. 

Of  the  population  in  blocks  of  over  750  densit}'  Russian-born  people  supplied  30.15 
per  cent,  and  American  only  34.25  per  cent.,  while  the  Austrians  supplied  12.65  per  cent. ; 
Italians.  9.60  per  cent. ;  Poles,  4.21  per  cent. :  Roumanians,  3.24  per  cent.,  and  Hun- 
garians, 2.78  per  cent.  South  of  14th  street,  in  1905,  there  were  155,828  Russian-born 
people.  Of  these,  93,802,  or  62  per  cent,  were  living  in  blocks  having  over  750  people 
per  acre. 

Of  the  Poles  and  Austrians  in  Manhattan  in  1905,  over  50  per  cent,  were  living 
in  blocks  of  over  750  per  acre.  Between  45  per  cent,  and  50  per  cent,  of  the  Russians 
in  Manhattan  blocks,  34  per  cent,  of  the  Chinese,  over  25  per  cent,  of  the  Hungarians, 
and  less  than  25  per  cent,  of  the  Italians  were  living  in  similar  blocks. 

The  foreign-born  in  Manhattan  grew  from  789,342  in  1900  to  890.142  in  1905,  an 
increase  of  100.800  out  of  the  262.287  increase  of  Manhattan  in  those  five  years. 

The  population  of  Manhattan  was  47.7  foreign-born  in  1900,  and,  despite  the  sur- 
plus of  birth-rate  over  death-rate,  was  still  42.2  per  cent,  foreign-born  in  1905. 

The  old  Thirty-first  Assemblj'  District,  running  from  110th  to  134th  street  and  be- 
tween Park  and  8th  avenues,  was  3  per  cent,  more  foreign  in  1905  than  in  1900. 

The  Borough  of  The  Bronx  had  30.7  per  cent,  foreign-born  in  1900,  and  29.5  per 
cent,  in  1905. 

The  old  Thirty-fifth  Assembly  District  had  proportionately  more  foreign-born 
in  1905  than  in  1900,  while  the  foreign-born  population  of  the  old  Thirtj^-fourth  As- 
sembly District  fell  off  almost  3  per  cent. 

South  of  14th  street,  on  the  East  Side,  the  native-born  population,  from  1900  to 
1905,  increased  only  from  223,039  to  231,103.  or  in  all  8.064  persons — less  than  4  per 
cent.,  while  the  foreign-born  increased  61,517  persons  or  very  nearly  20  per  cent.  There 
were,  therefore,  manj^  districts  where  the  number  of  native-born  in  1905  was  actually 
less  than  in  1900. 

Italian  Investigation. 
Block  Bounded  by  Mott,  Prince,  Elizabeth  and  E.  Houston  Sts. — 367  Cases. 

Nationality  and   Provinces.  Cases. 

Italian    367 

Province — 

Apulin   16 

Basilicata    23 

Calabria  2 

Latium  3 

Lombardy  1 

Venice   1 

Miscellaneous    16 

Campania    25 

Sicily   280 

367 


196 


Age. 

Number  under  30  years  of  age 

Number  under  40  years  of  age 

Number  under  50  years  of  age 

Number  over  50  years  of  age 


Man. 


Woman. 


14 
147 
151 

48 

364 


27 
199 
108 

30 

364 


Number  of 
Number  of 
Number  of 
Number  of 
Number  of 
Number  of 
Number  of 
Number  of 


families 
families 
families 
families 
families 
families 
families 
families 


paying 
paying 
paying 
paymg 
paying 
paying 
paying 
paying 


Rent  Per  Room   Per  Month. 

$3.50  to  $4.00  per  room  per  month . 
$4.01  to  $4.50  per  room  per  month. 
$4.51  to  $5.00  per  room  per  month. 
$5.01  to  $5.50  per  room  per  month. 
$5.51  to  $6.00  per  room  per  month. 
$6.01  to  $6.50  per  room  per  month. 
$6.51  to  $7.00  per  room  per  month. 
$7.01  to  $7.50  per  room  per  month. 

Earnings. 


26 

16 

75 

70 

166 

10 

1 

1 


Man.       Woman.     Children.     Family. 


Total 

Family 

Income. 


Under  200  .. 
200  to  250  .. 
251  to  300  .. 
301  to  350  .. 
351  to  400  .. 
401  to  450  .. 
501  to  550  .. 
551  to  600  .. 
601  to  650  .. 
651  to  700  .. 
701  to  750  .. 
751  to  800  .. 
801  to  850  .. 
851  to  900  .. 
901  to  950  .. 
951  to  1.000  . 
1,000  to  1,100 
1,100  to  1,200 
1,200  to  1,300 
1,300  to  1,400 
1.400  to  1,500 
1,500  to  1,600 
1,600  to  1,700 
1,700  to  1,800 
1,800  to  1,900 
Over  1,900  .. 


188       8 

3 

.. 

0       5.. 

1 

8      26      17       6 

1 

7 

3      17       2 

1 

14 

4       6       1 

1 

15 

1      51       6 

2 

50 

36      21 

16 

31 

12       7 

10 

51 

7      23 

21 

5 

22 

19 

45 

28 

23 

24 

35 

36 

1 

11 

24 

4 

28 

21 

28 

21 

27 

8 

11 

17 

43 

48 

25 

22 

14 

17 

12 

14 

10    ■ 

11 

5 

5 

5 

5 

4 

4 

5 

5 

12 

12 

Per  Cent.  Spent  on  Rent. 

Percentage  of  Man's  Earnings. 

Number  of  men  spending  under  10  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 4 

Number  of  men  spending  10  to  15  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 7 

Number  of  men  spending  15  to  20  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 25 

Number  of  men  spending  20  to  25  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 55 

Number  of  men  spending  25  to  30  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 70 

Number  of  men  spending  30  to  35  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 60 

Number  of  men  spending  35  to  40  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 54 

Number  of  men  spending  40  to  45  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 28 

Number  of  men  spending  45  to  50  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 14 


197 

Number  of  men  spending  50  to  55  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 7 

Number  of  men  spending  55  to  60  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 3 

Number  of  men  spending  60  to  65  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 3 

Number  of  men  spending  65  to  70  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 3 

Number  of  men  spending  70  to  75  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 3 

Number  of  men  spending  75  to  80  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent. 3 

Number  of  men  spending  80  to  85  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent. 1 

Number  of  men  spending  85  to  90  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 0 

Number  of  men  spending  over  90  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 1 

Percentage  of  Families'   Earnings. 

Number  of  famiHes  spending  under  10  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 20 

Number  of  families  spending  10  to  15  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 47 

Number  of  families  spending  15  to  20  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 91 

Number  of  families  spending  20  to  25  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 97 

Number  of  families  spending  25  to  30  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 50 

Number  of  families  spending  30  to  35  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 30 

Number  of  families  spending  35  to  40  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 13 

Number  of  families  spending  40  to  45  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 6 

Number  of  families  spending  45  to  50  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 5 

Number  of  families  spending  50  to  55  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 0 

Number  of  families  spending  55  to  60  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 1. 

JvTumber  of  families  spending  60  to  65  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 1 

Number  of  families  spending  65  to  90  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 0 

Number  of  families  spending  over  90  per  cent,  of  total  income  for  rent 2 

Crowding  of  Rooms. 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  2  adults  sleep ; 319 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  2j^  adults  sleep 45 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  3  adults  sleep 23 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  3^  adults  sleep 10 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  4  adults  sleep 8 

Per  Cent.  Spent  on  Rent. 
Percentage  of  Man's  Earnings. 

Number  of  men  spending  under  10  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 0 

Number  of  men  spending  10  to  15  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 7 

Number  of  men  spending  15  to  20  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 24 

Number  of  men  spending  20  to  25  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 78 

Number  of  men  spending  25  to  30  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 53 

Number  of  men  spending  30  to  35  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 6 

Number  of  men  spending  35  to  40  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 4 

Number  of  men  spending  40  to  45  per  cent,  of  their  earnings  for  rent 2 


Number  of  families  spending  under  10  per  cent,  of  their  total  income  for  rent. . .  0 

Number  of  families  spending  10  to  15  per  cent,  of  their  total  income  for  fent. ...  IS 

Number  of  families  spending  15  to  20  per  cent,  of  their  total  income  for  rent. ...  32 

Number  of  famiHes  spending  20  to  25  per  cent,  of  their  total  income  for  rent. ...  81 

Number  of  families  spending  25  to  30  per  cent,  of  their  total  income  for  rent 36 

Number  of  families  spending  30  to  35  per  cent,  of  their  total  income  for  rent 8 

172 
Crowding  of  Rooms. 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  2  adults  sleep 71 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  2^  adults  sleep 47 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  3  adults  sleep 61 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  314  adults  sleep 28 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  4  adults  sleep 42 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  4l4  adults  sleep 5 

Number  of  rooms  in  which  5  adults  sleep 1 


198 

Time   in   the   United   States. 

Men.  Women. 

Number  who  have  lived  in  United  States  1  year  or  less . .  1 

Number  who  have  lived  in  United  States  from    1  to    3  years 26  18 

Number  who  have  lived  in  United  States  from    3  to    5  years 33  38 

Number  who  have  lived  in  United  States  from    5  to    8  years 37  53 

Number  who  have  lived  in  United  States  from    8  to  10  years 22  21 

Number  who  have  lived  in  United  States  from  10  to  15  years 25  21 

Number  who  have  lived  in  United  States  from  15  to  20  years 15  9 

Number  who  have  lived  in  United  States  over  20  years 3  1 

Literacy  of   Family. 

Number  of  men  who  cannot  speak  English 148 

Number  of  women  who  cannot  speak  English , 158 

Not  given:  Men,  22;  women,  23. 

Size  of  Family. 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    2  persons 1 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    3  persons 9 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    4  persons 41 

Number  of  families  consisting  of     5  persons 52 

Number  of  families  consisting  of     6  persons 31 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    7  persons 13 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    8  persons 9  ' 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    9  persons 4 

Number  of  families  consisting  of  10  persons 1 

Number  of  families  consisting  of  1 1  persons 1 

Occupation  of   Men. 

Laborers  128 

Barbers   10 

Pedlers    8 

Drivers    5 

Store    3 

Bootblacks    2 

Shoemakers   1 

Builders 1 

Occupation  of  Women. 

Sewing 2 

Bakery 1 

Occupation  of   Children. 

Shop-work   69 

Sewing 1 

Number  of  Children  Working. 

Number  of  families  having  1  child 35 

Number  of  families  having  2  children 14 

Number  of  families  having  3  children 8 

Time   in   the   United    States. 

Men.  Women. 

Number  who  have  lived  in  the  LTnited  States  1  year,  or  less 0  0 

Number  who  have  lived  in  the  United  States     1  to    3  years 2  3 

Number  who  have  lived  in  the  LTnited  States    3  to    5  years 18  19 

Number  who  have  lived  in  the  LTnited  States    5  to    8  years 65  65 

Number  who  have  lived  in  the  United  States    8  to  10  j^ears 120  123 

Number  who  have  lived  in  the  LTnited  States  10  to  15  years 107  108 

Number  who  have  lived  in  the  United  States  IS  to  20  years 41  40 

Number  who  have  lived  in  the  United  States  over  20  years 9  9 

Literacy  of   Family. 

Number  of  men  who  cannot  read  or  write  English 291 

Number  of  women  who  cannot  read  or  write  English 107 

Size  of  Family. 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    2  persons . 31 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    3  persons 71 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    4  persons 124 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    5  persons 86 


199 


Size  of  Family. 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    6  persons 

Number  of  families  consisting  of     7  persons 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    8  persons 

Number  of  families  consisting  of    9  persons 

Number  of  families  consisting  of  10  persons 

Number  of  families  consisting  of  11  persons 

Occupation  of  Men. 

Banker  

Barbers    

Bootblacks    

Blacksmiths   

Builder   ( Bricklayer)    

Cafe   

Carpenter   

Doctor  

Factory   

Hod-Carrier  

Importer  

Laborer  

Lawyer    

Mechanic    • 

Miner    

Musician  

Operator  

Plumber    

Painter 

Pedler   (Stand)    • 

Shoemaker 

Store    

Tailor 

Teacher 

Watchman    

Not  working  

Occupation  of  Women. 

No  occupation    

Finisher  

Dressmaker    

Occupation  of  Children. 

Bootblack   

Butcher  

Carpenter   

Clerk    

Conductor   

Detective   

Dressmaker    

Doctor  

Factory    

Laborer  

Mechanic    

Musician  

Printer   

Store  

Tailor 

Newsboy  or  Girl 

Finisher    

Barber  

Painter    

Number  of  Families  Having  Children  Working. 

Number  of  families  1  child  working 

Number  of  families  2  children  working 

Number  of  families  3  children  working 

Number  of  families  4  children  working 

Number  of  families  5  children  working 

Number  of  families  6  children  working 


35 
9 
9 
0 
1 
1 


1 

17 

6 
12 
29 

8 

9 

1 

6 
42 

1 
57 

1 

1 

1 

4 

2 

1 

13  ' 
28 
47 
10 
48 

6 

1 
19 

125 

11 

231 

3 

5 

2 

5 

1 

1 

1 
25 
56 

5 

2 

1 

4 

1 

1 

2 
27 
16 

1 

37 

24 

11 

3 

0 

1 


200 


Scattered  Cases,  February  to  March,  1908. 
174  Cases. 

Number  of  families  living  on  first  floor 33 

Number  of  families  living  on  second    floor    47 

Number  of  families  living  on  third  floor    55 

Number  of  families  living  on  fourth  floor   13 

Number  of  families  living  on  fifth  floor   7 

Number  of  families  living  in  basement 9 

164 
Nationality  and  Province. 

Italian    174 

Province — 

Campania   70 

Basilicata    61 

Calabria 11 

Abruzzo    9 

Sicily   6 

Latium    1 

158 
Age.  Man.       Woman. 

Number  under  30  years  of  age 46  60 

Number  under  40  years  of  age 67  63 

Number  under  50  years  of  age 38  36 

Number    over   50   years    of    age 20  12 

171  171 

Rent  Per  Room  Per  Month. 

Number  of  families  paying  $2.50  to  $3.00  per  room  per  month 2 

Number  of  families  paying  $3.00  to  $3.50  per  room  per  month 26 

Number  of  families  paying  $3.50  to  $4.00  per  room  per  month 36 

Number  of  families  paying  $4.00  to  $4.50  per  room  per  month 46 

Number  of  families  paying  $4.50  to  $5.00  per  room  per  month 41 

Number  of  families  paying  $5.00  to  $5.50  per  room  per  month 11 

Number  of  families  paying  $5.50  to  $6.00  per  room  per  month • 3 

Number  of  families  paying  $6.00  to  $6.50  per  room  per  month 6 

Number  of  families  paying  $6.50  to  $7.00  per  room  per  month 2 

Number  of  families  paying  $7.CX)  to  $7.50  per  room  per  month " 1 

Number  of  Rooms  Per  Flat. 

1  room  apartment 32 

2  room  apartment 60 

3  room  apartment 51 

4  room  apartment 26 

5  room  apartment 5 


Earnings. 


Man.       Woman.     Children. 


174 


Total 
Family.   Family 
Income. 


Under  200 
200  to  250 
250  to  300 
300  to  350 
350  to  400 
400  to  450 
450  to  500 
500  to  550 
550  to  600 
600  to  650 
650  to  700 
700  to  750 
750  to  800 
800  to  850 
850  to  900 
900  to  950 
950  


1      14 

32       5 

18      26 

9 

31 

4   •   28 

19 

42 

1       1      44 

29 

38 

1       ..      33 

35 

14 

16 

49 

23 

7 

16 

16 

2 

6 

2 

2 

2 

1 

3 

2 

2 

4 

3 

2 

2 

1 

1 

1 

201 

A.  Moncv   Value  of  Immigrants. 

The  actual  amount  of  money  brought  by  immigrants  is  not  known,  since  many  of 
them  send  money  ahead  throug'h  bankers,  many  have  money  sent  to  them  by  their 
friends,  and  some  bring  much  more  than  they  show  at  the  port  of  arrival.  Mr.  Hall 
assumes  that  an  average  immigration  of  600,dC0  per  year  for  a  series  of  years,  200,000 
came  as  prepaid,  i.  e.,  had  their  passage  prepaid.     Mr.  Hall  states : 

"The  Italians  in  New  York  City  are  said  to  hold  $60,OCO,000  worth  of  property, 
of  which  $15,000,000  is  in  savings  bank  deposits  and  those  in  St.  Louis,  San  Francisco, 
Boston  and  Chicago  are  reported  to  have  even  larger  amobnts.  These  figures  give 
some  idea  of  the  additions  to  the  wealth  of  the  community  made  by  the  new  comers 
to  our  shores ;  and  constitute  a  hopeful  sign  for  _  the  future.  The  sacrifice 
of  comfort,  health  and  decency  involved  in  the  production  of  this  wealth,  however, 
should  never  be  forgotten,  and'the  effects  of  such  a  sacrifice  must  be  paid  for  by  the 
community  in  many   forms." 

B.  Occupations  of  Immigrants. 

"Thus  the  percentages  of  immigrants  having  no  occupation,  including  women  and 
children,  since  1894,  has  been  as  follows : 

1895 ' 36 

1896 36 

1897 39 

1898 39.4 

1899 : 35.1 

1900 30.1 

1901 •  30 . 5 

1902 23.4 

1903 23.3 

1904 26.4 

1905 32.6 

"The  percentage  of  immigrants  who  were  farm  laborers,  laborers  or  servants  for 
the  same  years  was  as  follows : 

1895 42 

1896 46 

1897 ■ 40 

1898 40.3 

1899 47.3 

1900 53 

1901 53 . 1 

1902 60.6 

1903 57.3 

1904 49.4 

1905 54.1 

"Combining  the  two  foregoing  tables,  it  appears  that  the  proportion  of  immigrants 
practically  without  knowledge  of  a  trade  or  means  of  livelihood  has  remained  nearly 
constant  for  the  last  decade,  and  is  about  four-fifths  of  the  total  arrivals." 

Proposed  Legislation. 

The  raising  of  the  present  tax  of  $2  to  $10.50  or  $100  vvhich  would  doubtless 
considerably  diminish  immigration.  This  would  bear  heavily  on  the  man  with  a  family 
and  there  must  be  some  exception  of  wives  and  children. 

The  money  test  would  tend  to  restrict  immigration,  but  this  would  be  to  some  ex- 
tent evaded. 

B.     Physical  Test. 

The  present  laws  exclude  all  who  are  mentally  diseased  in  such  a  way  as  to  be  a 
burden  on  the  community,  i.  e.,  the  insane  idiots  and  persons  who  have  been  insane 
within  a  few  3^ears  and  on  the  physical  side  those  with  dangerous  or  loathsome  or  con- 
tagious diseases.  Persons  of  poor  physique  are  with  few  exceptions  most  likely  to 
become  a  burden  upon  the  community. 

"It  has  been  suggested  that  pending  any  radical  action  by  Congress,  or  any  con- 
struction by  the  department  of  section  10,  which  would  accomplish  the  same  purpose, 
there  should  be  a  rule  requiring  the  commissioner  of  immigration  in  charge  at  a  port 
where  a  physically  defective  alien  is  landed,  to  notify  in  writing  the  officials  of  the 
municipalitv  in  which  such  alien  intends  to  reside,  that  he  has  been  admitted,  giving 
sufficient  information  to  identify  him.  If,  subsequently,  he  becomes  a  public  charge  the 
chain  of  evidence  necessary  to  secure  his  deportation  will  then  be  complete." 


202 

C.  Illiteracy  Test. 

This  lias  been  the  favorite  method  advocated  to  restrict  immigration. 

In  1895  Senator  Lodge  introduced  a  bill  prepared  by  the  Immigration  Restriction 
League  known  as  the  "Lodge  Bill,"  which  added  to  the  excluded  classes  "All  persons 
between  fourteen  and  sixty  years  of  age  who  cannot  both  read  and  write  the  English 
language  or  some  other  language."  This  was  amended  in  1896  by  a  bill  excluding 
illiterates  over  fourteen  years  of  age  with  an  exemption  in  the  case  of  aged  parents  or 
grandparents  of  admissible  or  resident  immigrants.  This  was  further  amended  by 
requiring  that  immigrants  should  read  or  write  English  or  the  language  of  their  native 
or  resident  country,  and  vetoed  by  President  Cleveland.  It  has  been  objected  that 
this  would  exclude  many  sturdy  though  ignorant  immigrants  and  keep  out  domestic 
servants. 

D.  Consular  Inspection. 

This  plan  contemplates  the  examination  of  each  alien  at  the  port  of  embarkation 
by  American  consular  officers,  and  may  be  either  voluntary  or  involuntary  on  the  part 
of  the  alien.  This  general  plan  has  been  advocated  since  1885.  and  this  was  the  most 
popular  plan  for  further  restriction  until  the  educational  test  w^as  brought  forward.  An 
alien  is  to  hie  a  passport  of  recent  date  from  his  native  government  and  swear  to  an 
application  stating  the  reason  of  his  desire  to  migrate,  his  trade,  age,  state  of  health 
and  statement  of  property.  The  consul  is  to  confirm  these  statements  by  investigating 
as  far  as  possible  and  to  hold  a  duly  advertised  public  hearing  on  the  application.  If 
the  applicant  were  found  to  be  a  fit  subject  for  citizenship  in  the  United  States  the 
consul  should,  on  payment  by  the  applicant  of  $20,  issue  to  him  a  permit  enabling  him  to 
sail  within  four  months;  if  found  unfit,  the  permit  was  to  be  refused. 

Mr.  Hall  mentions  seven  objections  to  the  system  of  consular  inspection. 

(1)  It  would  necessitate  a  large  increase  in  the  consular  force  and  consequent 
expense.  Not  very  long  ago  there  were  only  three  consuls  of  the  United  States  in 
the  whole  of  Russia.  Considering  its  size,  it  is  apparent  that  it  would  be  absolutely 
impossible  to  supervise  emigration  from  such  a  country,  or  indeed  from  any  European 
country,  without  a  very  large  increase  in  the  consular  force,  and  that  unless  the  con- 
suls were  widely  scattered  none  of  them  would  be  near  enough  the  emigrant's  place  of 
residence  to  have  any  special  facility  in  obtaining  information  about  him. 

(2)  The  consuls  themselves  would  not  have,  in  addition  to  their  other  duties,  the 
time  to  examine  the  large  number  embarking  at  once,  and  the  result  would  practically 
be  that  the  inspection  would  be  done  by  clerks,  probably  natives,  who  would  generally 
sympathize  with  the  emigrants  and  in  any  case,  it  would  be  less  efficient  and  respon- 
sible and  more  open  to  corruption  than  that  of  inspectors  at  the  ports  of  the  United 
States. 

(3)  If  the  certificate  is  to  be  conclusive,  the  elaborate  machinery  for  inspection  at 
American  ports  must  still  be  maintained  in  order  to  detect  and  deport  those  arriving 
without  proper  certificates;  yet  these  will  be  so  few  in  comparison  with  the  whole  num- 
ber that  most  of  this  enormously  expensive  plant  would  be  rendered  useless. 

(4)  Consular  inspection  as  such  does  not  add  to  the  excluded  classes,  and  there- 
fore does  not  meet  the  most  serious  defect  in  the  present  law,  namely,  its  failure  to  ex- 
clude paupers,  diseased  persons  and  objectionable  aliens. 

(5)  It  does  not  draw  any  line  of  exclusion  more  definite  than  the  existing  law, 
but,  as  above  suggested,  it  vests  an  enormous  discretion  in  officials  far  removed  from 
oversight  and  control. 

(6)  Consular  inspection  must  either  be  public  or  secret.  The  foreign  govern- 
ments could  not  tolerate  the  introduction  of  secret  extra-territorial  courts  such  as 
these  consular  offices  would  be.  But  if  consular  inspection  were  public  the  foreign 
governments  would  use  every  effort  to  keep  at  home  strong  and  healthy  citizens  fit 
for  military  service,  and  to  assist  in  the  emigration  of  those  members  of  the  com- 
munity whom  they  desired  to  be  rid  of. 

(7)  It  is  a  fallacious  assumption  that  consuls  are  in  most  cases  any  better  able  to 
ascertain  the  truth  of  the  immigrant's  statements  than  inspectors  at  our  ports. 

E.  Other  Methods. 

(1)  Total  suspension  for  one  year  or  a  stated  period. 

(2)  Exclusion  of  certain  races 

(3)  Limitation  of  numbers. 

(4)  Additions  to  the  excluded  classes. 

(a)  Socialists. 

(b)  All  immigrants  or  at  least  all  manual  laborers  who  do  not  at  once  declare 
their  intention  to  become  citizens. 

(c)  Persons  of  bad  character. 

(d)  Birds  of  passage. 


203 

(e)  Persons  without  families. 

(f)  Aged  persons. 

Other  suggestions  are  tlie  mental  test  (as  opposed  to  merely  a  literary  test)  ex- 
tending the  period  of  deportation. 

G.     Administrative  Amendments. 

Co-operation  of  all  officials. 

Limiting  the  privilege  of  assisting  immigrants. 

Bonding  persons  likely  to  become  public  charges. 

Other  Matters — The  present  inspection  of  immigrants  is  often  very  superficial 
owing  to  the  small  amount  of  time  available.  More  inspectors  and  more  accommo- 
dations for  inspection  also  are  needed  to  perfect  the  work  of  examination,  and  to 
test  the  truthfulness  of  statements  as  to  occupation,  destination  and  other  matters.  A 
more  thorough  inspection  would  undoubtedly  result  in  the  discovery  of  more  frauds 
practiced  by  immigrants  similar  to  those  in  1902-3,  when  it  was  found  that  large  num- 
bers of  addresses  in  New  York  City  of  friends  or  relatives,  to  whom  the  aliens  repre- 
sented they  were  going,  were  entirely  fictitious.  The  manifests  should  be  altered  so  as  to 
show  the  actual  amount  of  money  brought.  It  is  also  desirable  that  steps  be  taken 
to  obtain  statistics  of  emigration.  Landing  certificates  should  be  given  to  immigrants, 
and  the  production  of  them  required  for  naturalization.  The  sale  of  tickets  by  un- 
authorized agents  of  steamship  companies  should  be  forbidden  and  thus  the  whole 
matter  be  made  subject  to  the  United  States  regulations. 

Other  Proposed  Remedies  for  Immigr.^tion  Evils. 

A.     Distribution  of  Iminigrants. 

To  scatter  city  slum  populations  and  recent  arrivals,  in  the  face  of  the  present 
movement  toward  the  cities,  on  a  scale  large  enough  to  be  at  all  effective,  would  re- 
qiure  vast  sums  of  money.  Moreover,  a  distribution  which  simply  moves  large  numbers 
to  other  localities,  where  they  tend  to  form  the  same  sort  of  communities,  is  not  really 
a  solution  of  the  problem,  a  problem  which  is  in  substance  to  change  them  into  thrifty 
and  intelligent  settlers,  whose  homes  shall  be  the  centres  of  family  life  and  civic  in- 
terest. To  be  really  effective,  thousands  of  families  should  be  removed  from  the 
slums  of  New  York,  Chicago,  Boston  and  other  cities  every  year,  and  the  incoming  of 
two  or  three  times  as  many  families  of  newer  immigrants  of  the  same  standard  of 
living  should  be  prevented.  Although  there  is  no  doubt  that  distribution  is  a  most  im- 
portant and  necessary  work,  yet  the  success  thus  far  attained  is  not  very  encouraging. 
The  Hebrew  Industrial  Removal  Office  in  New  York  City  sent  out  5,525  immigrants 
settled  in  the  City.  During  the  first  three  years  of  its  existence  the  society  sent  out 
a  total  of  10.563  persons,  and  it  is  evident  that  its  work  must  be  increased  manyfold  to 
cope  with  the  present  situation.  The  Italian  societies  in  New  York  and  Boston  have 
also  interested  themselves  in  the  matter  of  colonizing  immigrants,  and  the  governments 
of  Austria  and  Italy  have  lent  a  helping  hand  to  these  movements  ;  but,  up  to  the 
present  time,  but  little  has  been  accomplished. 

The  principal  difficulty  with  the  distribution  scheme  is  that,  in  so  far  as  it  in- 
volves the  immigrant  taking  up  agricultural  pursuits,  most  of  our  modern  immigrants 
are  not  fitted  for  such  work.  Long  residence  in  the  ghettos  of  Europe  has  unfitted 
most  of  the  Jews  to  be  independent  farmers.  So  with  the  Syrians  and  Armenians, 
who.  like  most  of  our  recent  immigrants,  are  too  ignorant  to  make  a  success  of  farm- 
ing life. 

Furthermore,  in  order  tc  effect  a  satisfactory  distribution,  immigrants  must  be 
needed  and  desired  bj'  thp  district  into  which  it  is  proposed  to  send  them.  The  United 
States  Immigration  Investigation  Commission  in  1895  and  the  Immigration  Restriction 
League  in  1904  made  inquiries  of  the  officials  of  the  several  states  as  to  their  desires 
and  needs  in  the  matter.  The  results  of  these  two  sets  of  inquiries  were  substantially 
the  same  and  disclosed  the  fact  that  the  only  demand  on  the  part  of  any  locality  for 
recent  immi.gration  from  Southern  and  Eastern  Europe,  was  for  Italian  farmers  with 
families  and  with  capital,  intending  permanent  settlement.  The  races  chiefly  desired 
were  native  Americans.  British,  Germans.  Scandinavians,  French  and  Swiss.  In  every 
case  in  the  recent  canvass,  the  officials  objected  in  the  strongest  terms  to  any  plan  for 
.■shipping  immigrants  from  the  slums  of  eastern  cities  into  their  respective  localities. 
On  the  contrary,  many  of  the  States  prefer  immigrants  from  other  sections  of  the 
country  who  have  resided  in  the  United  States  for  some  time  and  are  familiar  with 
American  customs,  or  else  the  kindred  races  of  Northern  Europe  with  whom  we  are  al- 
ready familiar. 

in  the  South,  industrial  competition,  combined  with  the  inefficiency  of  the  negro 
and  the  movement  toward  the  cities  above  noted,  has  created  a  certain  demand  for 
foreign  labor  for  the  fields.  Thus  we  read  that  the  Italian  ambassador  has  recently 
been   attempting  to   establish   ItaHan   immigration    centers   in    Texas,    Louisiana    and 


204 

•Georgia,  with  a  view  to  inducing  the  agricultural  elcMiient  of  Italy  to  settle  the  vexing 
problem  of  southern  working  lields.  It  is  significantly  stated  in  the  same  despatch  that 
the  movement  will  be  financed  entirely  by  Xew  York  capital. 

^The  statement  of  actual  distribution  of  immigration  shows  how  little  has  been 
accomplished  by  this  to  date.) 

Protective  and  Assimilating  Movements. 
Organizations  such  as  the  Hebrew,  German,  Italian  and  other  societies  for  look- 
ing after  their  fellow  countrymen  have  been  organized  in  many  cities. 

Ethical  Aspects  of  Regulation. 

We  can  sympathize  with  Prof.  Mayo-Smith  when  he  says: 

"The  control  of  immigration  must  be  free  from  the  base  cry  of  'America  for 
the  Americans,'  and  from  any  narrow  spirit  of  trade  unionism,  or  of  a  selfish  desire 
to  monopolize  the  labor  market.  It  must  find  its  justification  in  the  needs  of  the 
community,  and  in  the  necessity  of  selecting  those  elements  which  will  contribute  to 
the  harmonious  development  of  our  civilization."  (Conclusion  of  digest  of  Mr.  Hall's 
Book,   Inmiigration.) 

Statements  and  arguments  of  the  National  Liberal  Immigration  League,  150 
Nassau  street,  New  York : 

The  division  of  information  in  the  Bureau  of  Immigration  and  Naturalization. 
"The  maintenance  of  this  national  distribution  is  of  first  importance,  for  it  is  true 
that  the  problem  of  immigration  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  problem  of  dis- 
tribution. If  properly  encouraged  the  distribution  bureau  will  equalize  the  tide  of  im- 
migration and  help  the  unemployed,  diminishing  congestion  here,  and  providing  de- 
sirable labor  there,  all  over  the  land;  and  it  were  very  regretable  to  have  it  nipped  in 
the  bud.  EDWARD  LAUTERBACH,  President." 

The  League  summarizes  the  Hayes  bill  explained  later  as  follows : 
Many  bills  providing  for  the  regulation  of  immigration  have  been  introduced  in 
Congress  during  the  present  session  (1909  and  1910).  Restriction  is  the  avowed  ob- 
jection of  several  of  them,  while  the  actual  purpose  of  nearly  all  is  not  merely  to 
check,  but  to  stop  immigration.  First  in  order  among  these  is  the  Hayes  Bill,  to 
whose  drastic  and  un-American  measures  we  call  your  attention : 

1.  $10  Head  Tax,  instead  of  $4.  This  has  no  conceivable  object  but  that  of 
checking  immigration.  The  head  tax  was  originally  imposed  to  defray  the  expenses 
of  the  immigration  service — its  only  legitimate  purpose.  The  $2  head  tax  in  force 
July,  1907,  not  only  accomplished  this,  but  yielded  a  considerable  surplus  to  the  United 
States  Treasury. 

2.  Educational  Test. — For  the  great  constructive  works  of  the  nation  and  for 
the  lower  forms  of  manual  labor  we  need  a  large  number  of  immigrants.  Ability  to 
read  and  write,  is  a  reasonable  qualification  for  citizenship,  but  it  does  not  Increase 
a  man's  fitness  for  manual  labor.  Neither  is  it  a  guarantee  of  morals,  the  police  re- 
ports of  New  Y'ork  showing  that  only  2.6  per  cent,  of  those  arrested  are  unable  to  read 
and  write.  The  immigrants,  illiterate  as  well  as  those  who  can  read  and  write,  appre- 
ciate an  education  so  highly  that  the  native  white  of  foreign  parentage  show  but  1.6 
per  cent,  of  illiteracy,  as  against  the  5.7  per  cent,  of  children  of  native  whites.  We 
need  fear  nothing  from  their  ignorance.  The  thing  above  all  others  that  we  seriously 
■need  is  a  means  of  keeping  out  of  our  country  the  bomb-throwing  anarchist,  the  black- 
mailer, the  counterfeiter,  the  forger,  who  can  read  and  write  too  well. 

3.  Exclusion  of  aliens  who  do  not  possess  $25. — Any  financial  test  is  un-American. 
Had  such  a  restriction  been  applied  in  the  past,  our  nation  would  not  now  be  among  the 
greatest  of  the  earth.  The  financial  test  would  keep  away  thousands  of  deserving 
men  whose  labor  is  needed  for  digging  our  subways,  working  our  mines,  and  building 
our  railroads,  and  women  who  are  needed  for  domestic  service.  But  it  can  always  be 
met  with  ease  by  the  really  undesirable  immigrant — the  criminal. 

4.  Exclusion  of  aliens  who  do  not  bring  a  certificate  of  good  character. — This 
can  only  tend  to  make  us  the  dupes  of  extortionate,  petty  officials  of  certain  countries. 
Through  bribery,  criminals  could  often  secure  certificates  more  easily  than  honest 
laborers.    Obviously,  this  provision  would  defeat  its  own  end  with  a  vengeance. 

5.  Repeal  of  sections  26  and  40  of  the  Immigration  Act  now  in  force. 

Section  26  provides  for  the  admission  under  bond  of  certain  aliens  otherwise 
liable  to  deportation  because  they  seem  likely  to  become  public  charges.  Section  40 
provides  for  the  establishment  of  a  Division  of  Information  in  the  Bureau  of  Immi- 
gration and  Naturalization,  "to  promote  a  beneficial  distribution  of  aliens  *  *  * 
among  the  several  states  and  territories  desiring  immigration.  Both  these  sections  have 
proved  of  benefit  to  the  country. 

The  condemnation  of  the  Federal  Government's  efifort  to  distribute  immigrants 


205 

and  unemployed,  is  in  line  with  the  poHcy  that  persecuted  the  Irish  and  Germans, 
instead  of  welcoming  them  by  stretching  out  a  helping  hand. 

6.  Exclusion  of  girls  under  twenty  unaccompanied  by  parents. — The  enactment  of 
such  a  provision  would  debar  many  worthy  young  women  needed  for  domestic  service. 
It  could  not  possibly  prevent  the  entrance  into  the  United  States  of  young  women 
coming  for  immoral  purposes. 

7.  Requirement  that  within  one  year  after  the  enactment  of  the  bill  every  unnat- 
uralized alien  in  the  United  States  take  out  a  certificate  of  residence  containing  descrip- 
tion and  photograph  of  holder,  on  penalty  of  being  deported. — This  measure  is  as 
superfluous  as  it  is  degrading,  resembling  as  it  does  the  ticketing  and  photographing 
of  a  criminal.  It  is  a  thing  unknown  even  to  the  despotisms  of  Europe,  and  is  contrary 
to  the  spirit  of  American  democracy  and  equality. 

It  summarizes  and  condemns  the  above  provisions  of  the  Hayes  Bill  to  say  that 
they  would  close  our  door  to  many  thousands  of  honest,  simple,  law-abiding  immi- 
grants, such  as  have  helped  to  build  up  our  country;  while  there  is  not  a  single  measure 
in  this  whole  bill,  which  prevents  the  entrance  of  the  criminal,  who  can  afford  to  pay 
any  tax,  riiake  show  of  any  amount  of  money,  exhibit  any  certificate,  and  pass  any  edu- 
cational test. 

The  League  endorses  the  following  statement  of  principles  bv  former  President 
Charles  W.  Eliot : 

"I  beg  leave  to  invite  your  attention  to  the  following  statement  of  the  principles 
which  should  govern  National  Legislation  on  Immigration  : 

"First.  Our  country  needs  the  labor  of  every  honest  and  healthy  'immigrant'  who- 
has  intelligence  and  enterprise  to  come  here. 

"Second.     Existing  legislation  is  .sufficient  to  exclude  undesirable  immigrants. 

"Third.  Educational  tests  should  not  be  applied  at  the  moment  of  entrance  to  the 
United  States,  but  at  the  moment  of  naturalization. 

"Fourth.  The  proper  educational  test  is  capacity  to  read  in  English  or  in  the  native 
tongue,  not  the  Bible  or  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  but  newspaper  items  m 
some  recent  English  or  native  newspaper  which  the  candidates  cannot  have  seen. 

"Fifth.  The  attitude  of  Congress  and  the  laws  should  be  hospitable  and  not  re- 
pellant.  The  only  questions  which  are  appropriate  are :  Is  he  healthy,  strong  and 
desirous  of  earning  a  good  living?  Many  illiterates  have  common  sense,  sound  bodies, 
and  good  characters.  Indeed  it  is  not  clear  that  education  increases  much  the  amount 
of  common  sense  which  nature  gave  the  individual.  An  educational  test  is  appropriate 
at  the  time  when  the  foreigner  proposes  to  become  a  voting  citizen.  He  ought  then  to 
know  how  to  read.       Very  truly  yours,  CHARLES  W.  ELIOT." 

The  motto  of  the  League  is,  "A  stream  that  is  dangerous  when  unchecked  will 
prove  a  blessing  to  the  land  when  well  directed." 

To  secure  such  distribution  they  advocate  an  appeal  on  behalf  of  free  transpor- 
tation. 

While  our  congested  eastern  cities  are  overrun  with  thousands  of  sturdy  laborers 
without  employment  and  often  without  bread,  a  need  for  these  same  laborers  is  felt  in 
other  parts.  There  is  a  Bureau  of  Information  in  Washington  which  can  furnish 
to  almost  every  one  of  the  unemployed  the  names  of  several  firms  where  their  work 
is  needed.  Were  they  to  go  to  such  localities  it  would  be  a  benefit  both  to  them  and 
to  their  employers,  but  they  lack  the  means  to  pay  the  traveling  expenses,  and  gen- 
erally are  suspicious  of  any  offers  of  employers  to  advance  these  expenses  on  their 
wages. 

If  the  Bureau  of  Information  could  give  to  unemployed  laborers  transportation  to 
where  their  labor  is  in  demand,  thousands  of  them  would  be  saved  from  want,  and 
they  would,  on  the  other  hand,  benefit  the  country  through  their  labor. 

Immigrants  arriving  here  could  also  be  directed  where  they  have  relatives  or 
where  their  labor  is  needed,  but  they  cannot  afford  to  pay  the  cost  of  transportation  tc 
those  localities. 

Free  transportation  will  greatly  contribute  to  the  solution  of  this  problem.  The 
Argentine  Republic  furnishes  immigrants  with  one  week's  hospitality  and  with  free 
railroad  transportation  to  any  part  of  that  country.  Other  South  American  govern- 
ments offer  similar  inducements.  What  such  republics,  with  their  scanty  means,  are 
doing  our  country,  the  wealthiest  in  the  world,  can  certainly  accomplish.  The  burden 
which  such  a  provision  would  entail  upon  the  Federal  treasury  would  be  more  than 
compensated  by  the  benefit  which  it  would  bring  about. 

NATIONAL  LIBERAL  IMMIGRATION  LEAGUE. 


206 

REPORT  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  LABOR  AND  WAGES   OF  THE  NEW 

YORK  CITY  COMMISSION  ON  CONGESTION  OF  POPULATION, 

MR.  JOHN  J.  FLYNN,  CHAIRMAN. 

The  Committee  have  held  seven  meetings  separately  or  in  conjunction  with  the 
Committee  on  Factories.  They  have  examined  more  than  thirty  persons  and  studied 
numerous  reports  on  the  subject  of  the  city,  the  State  and  the  Federal  Government 
as  well  as  of  private  organizations. 

The  low  wages  paid  in  the  city  and  the  unhealthy  conditions  in  factories  and 
workshops  have  been  emphasized  in  several  of  the  meetings  of  the  Committee  as 
well  as  at  the  general  hearing  of  the  Commission,  as  important  causes  of  congestion 
and  room  overcrowding  in  the  city. 

The  Committee  beg  therefore  to  make  the  following  recommendations  and  to 
ask  that  the  Committee  on  Legislation  be  requested  to  prepare  bills  embodying  these 
recommendations  if  necessary. 

A  Deputy  Commissioner  of  Labor  for  New  York  City. 

The  preponderance  of  factories  of  the  State  in  New  York  City  indicates  the 
necessity  of  having  a  Deputy  Commissioner  of  Labor  for  New  York  City,  who  shall 
devote  all  his  time  to  the  direction  and  supervision  of  the  Department's  work  in  the 
city. 

More  Factory  Inspectors  and  Appropriate  Legislation  to  Enable  the  State  De- 
partment TO  Enforce  Its  Regulations. 

The  present  number  of  factory  inspectors  in  the  city  is  inadequate,  the  permanent 
force  being  only  35,  while  during  the  winter  inspectors  from  up-State  are  brought 
down,  making  the  average  for  the  city  40.  During  the  year  ended  September  30,  1909, 
28,952  visits  of  inspection  of  factories  were  made  in  New  York  City,  only  838  more 
visits  than  the  total  number  of  factories  in  the  city.  Many  of  these  factories  should 
be  visited  at  least  every  quarter,  and  some  monthly.  It  is  therefore  suggested  that 
the  number  of  factory  inspectors  to  be  permanently  located  in  New  York  City  should 
be  increased  to  an  adequate  number,  and  appropriate  legislation  should  be  enacted  to 
enable  the  Department  of  Labor  to  enforce  its  regulations. 

An  Industrial  Commission  for  New  York  City. 

The  large  number  of  strikes  in  the  city  among  organized  labor — unskilled  and 
semi-skilled,  and  the  well  known  fact  that  many  unskilled  and  unorganized  manual 
laborers  in  the  city  do  not  receive  sufficient  wages  to  enable  them  to  maintain  them- 
selves, indicate  the  need  for  a  body  to  devote  its  entire  time  to  the  labor  interests  of 
the  city. 

An  investigation  has  been  made  as  to  the  current  rate  of  wages  in  different 
trades  and  occupations  in  the  city,  and  although  these  do  not  cover  all  trades  they 
are  indicative  of  the  rate  of  wages  being  paid  and  the  maximum  income  of  laborers 
in  the  city  for  the  year.  The  City  Comptroller  has  furnished  figures  as  to  the  pre- 
vailing rate  of  wages  paid  in  the  following  city  departments :  Bellevue  and  Allied 
Hospitals,  Department  of  Bridges,  Brooklyn  Disciplinary  Training  Schools,  Board  of 
Water  Supply,  College  of  the  City  of  New  York,  Department  of  Corrections,  Depart- 
ment of  Public  Charities,  Department  of  Docks  and  Ferries,  Department  of  Educa- 
tion, Finance  Department,  Fire  Department,  Health  Department,  National  Guard, 
Parks,  Presidents  of  the  Borough  of  Manhattan.  Borough  of  The  Bronx,  Borough 
of  Brooklyn,  Borough  of  Queens,  Borough  of  Richmond,  Police  Department,  Street 
Cleaning  Department,  Water  Supply,  Gas  and  Electricity,  Taxes  and  Assessment, 
Courts,  County  Clerk's  Office.  In  these  there  were  four  persons  receiving  under 
$600.00,  four  receiving  $699.00.  16  receiving  from  $700.00  to  $799.00,  16  from  $800.00 
to  899.00,  37  from  $900.00  to  $1,000.00,  358  over  $1,000.00,  and  the  prevailing  rate  of 
wages  per  day  were  given  in  13  cases  as  $2.00  to  $2.50,  703  cases  $2.50  to  $3.00  per 
day.  602  receiving  $3.00  to  $3.50,  755  receiving  $3.50  to  $4.00,  816  4.00  to  4.50,  509,  $4.50 
to  $5.00,  43  cases  over  $5.00.  These  figures  of  course  are  only  indicative  of  the 
range  of  wages  paid,  and  do  not  take  account  of  the  number  of  days  employment 
during  the  year,  when  men  are  hired  only  by  the  day. 

The  Treasury  Department  of  the  United  States  reports  the  wages  paid  in  the 
following  departments.  Assistant  Custodian  and  Janitor  Service,  Public  Building 
Service,  Sub-Treasury,  Internal  Revenue  Service,  and  Assay  Office,  and  in  these  de- 
partments there  were  148  receiving  less  than  $600.00  per  vear,  45  receiving  $600.00  to 
$699.00.  158  receiving  $700.00  to  $799.00,  9  receiving  $800.00  to  $899.00,  27  receiving 
$900.00  to  $1,000.00,  and  71  over  $1,000.00.  There  were  13  receiving  under  $2.00  per 
day,  42  from  $2.50  to  $3.00  per  day,  3  from  $2.50  to  $3.00  per  day,  13  from  $3.00  to  $3.50 
per  day,  3  from  $3.50  to  $4.00  per  day,  10  from  $4.00  to  $4.50.  9  from  $450  to  $5.00, 
and  4  ovej-  $5.00  per  day. 


207 

In  the  United  States  Post  Office  Department,  there  were  721  clerks,  carriers, 
watchmen,  messengers  and  laborers  paid  600.00  per  year,  186  messengers,  watchmen 
and  laborers  receiving  $700.00  per  year;  413  clerks  and  carriers  receiving  $800.00  per 
year,  629  receiving  $900.00  per  year,  850  receiving  $1,000  a  year,  869  receiving  $1,100.00 
per  year,  3,183  receiving  $1,200.00    The  salaries  of  the  others  ranged  up  to  $3,200.00. 

The  Metropolitan  Street  Railway  Company  report  several  ranges  of  wages  paid. 
To  138  watchmen,  janitors  and  flagmen  $547.50  to  $821.25,  working  365  days  in  the 
j^ear.  The  weekly  wages  of  stable  men  and  hill  boys  range  from  $8.75  to  $30.00,  and 
of  1,858  conductors  the  range  varies  from  $16.10  to  $18.20,  while  157  conductors  on 
horse  cars  receive  $14.00  per  week  or  $730.00  for  the  year,  and  the  same  wages  are 
paid  to  158  drivers  on  horse  cars.  The  lowest  wages  paid  are  57.7  cents  per  day  to 
clerks,  messenger  boys,  office  boys,  etc.,  417  laborers  are  paid  from  $1.50  to  $2.75  per 
day.  Plumbers'  helpers  receive  from  $1.00  to  $1.75.  The  wages  of  most  unskilled 
workers  range  from  $1.00  to  $1.75.  The  wages  of  most  unskilled  workers  range 
from  $1.00  to  $2.50  per  day. 

The  Secretary  of  the  International  Association  of  Machinists,  Mr.  Jas.  B.  Wilson, 
states  that  the  annual  wages  in  normal  times  of  the  4,000  members  of  the  union  are 
only  $600.00  to  $800.00  a  year,  while  the  non-union  machinist  get  from  $1.50  to  $2.50 
per  day.  Unskilled  wage  earners  get  what  they  can,  "catch  as  catch  can,"  wages 
running  from  19  cents  per  hour  to  as  low  as  $8.(X)  to  $10  per  week,  i.  e.,  only  $416.00 
to  $520.00  a  year  at  most.  In  one  of  the  boroughs,  laborers  in  this  city's  employ  are 
paid  $2.28  a  day,  and  the  average  time  they  work  is  about  245  days  a  year,  so  they 
receive  only  $558.60  a  year. 

In  1905  the  average  wages  of 

339,221  factory  wage  earners  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx  were $536  76 

104,995  factory  wage  earners  in  Brooklyn  were 519  42 

14,905  factory  wage  earners  in  Queens  were 566  28 

5,595  factory  wage  earners  in  Richmond  were 549  21 

While  the  Committee  have  not  been  able  to  make  any  statistical  investigation  of 
the  wages  paid  unskilled  men,  especially  when  unorganized,  it  is  well  known  that  the 
current  wages  for  their  labor  is  only  $1.50  to  $3.00  per  day,  with  often  only  tem- 
porary employment. 

The  wages  paid  women  are  notably  insufficient.  Many  department  stores  pay  as 
low  as  $5  per  week,  while  the  wages  of  girls  in  factories  will  run  to  a  minimum  of 
$3.50  and  from  that  up  to  a  maximum  of  $10  to  $12  per  week  counting  the  average  for 
the  entire  year.  In  the  judgment  of  the  Committee,  the  living  wage  should  be  such  as 
to  support  the  wage-earner  and  his  family  not  only  for  the  six,  eight  or  ten  months 
of  the  year  during  which  he  has  work,  but  for  the  twelve  months  during  which  the 
family  must  live. 

The  contractor^  I'or  the  City  on  the  Catskill  Aqueduct  report  the  wages  of  from 
$1.25  to  $2  per  day.  They  note,  however,  that  there  are  two  prevailing  rate  of  wages : 
first,  those  paid  to  the  natives,  and  second,  those  paid  to  immigrants  or  aliens,  and  that 
the  wages  paid  to  immigrants  or  aliens  are  almost  always  lower  than  those  paid  to 
natives,  while  the  tendency  is  always  to  reduce  the  rate  of  wages  for  immigrants. 

The  Committee  appreciate  the  work  of  the  Bureau  of  Mediation  and  Arbitration 
of  the  State  Department  of  Labor,  but  feel  that  in  view  of  the  large  number  of  laborers 
in  the  city  an  Industrial  Commission  should  be  created  for  New  York  City. 

From  September,  1909,  and  including  May,  1910,  the  State  Bureau  of  Mediation 
and  Arbitration  intervened  in  44  strikes  or  lockouts  in  New  York  City.  Fifteen  of 
these,  one-third,  occasioned  an  aggregate  loss  of  1,036,039  days,  or  3,45314  years  (count- 
ing 3C0  working  days  to  a  year).  This  materially  oft'sets  New  York's  increase  in  popu- 
lation. Counting  each  day's  wage  as  $2,  this  means  a  total  loss  for  nine  months  of 
$2,072,078,  exclusive  of  employers'  losses  and  the  public's  loss.  Among  the  trades 
represented  in  these  strikes  were  shirtwaist  makers,  pants  makers,  pie  bakers,  steam- 
fitters  and  helpers,  and  butchers. 

Some  Money  Costs  of  the  Shirtwaist  Makers'  Strike. 

Cost  to  the  Union    $84,877  84 

377,778  days'  work  lost  to  March  1,  1910,  at  $1.25  per  day 472,222  50 

Minimum  loss  to  employers  (estimated) 250.000  00 

$807,100  34 

It  is  clear  that  some  agency  is  needed  to  help  secure  living  wages  without  recourse 
to  strikes.  This  could  be  achieved  by  the  creation  of  an  Industrial  Commission  in  the 
City  of  New  York,  and  a  precedent  for  the  proposed  enlargement  of  jurisdiction  over 
industrial  disputes  and  conditions  of  labor  is  to  be  found  in  the  Industrial  Disputes 


208 

Investigation  Act  of  Canada,  passed  in  1907,  although  the  object  of  that  act  is  to  aid 
in  the  presence  of  strikes  and  lockouts  in  the  case  only  of  mines  and  industries  con- 
nected with  public  utilities. 

This  Industrial  Court  should  consist  of  three  men  to  be  appointed  by  the  Mayor. 

One  to  be  nominated  by  the  employers'  association  of  the  City. 

One  to  be  nominated  by  the  labor  unions  of  the  city. 

One  to  be  selected  by  the  Mayor. 

The  duties  of  such  an  Industrial  Commission  in  New  York  City  should  be: 

(a)  To  investigate  labor  conditions  and  wages  paid  both  skilled  and  unskilled 
workers  of  every  class  in  the  city  whether  organized  or  not. 

(b)  To  investigate  disputes  when  strikes  or  lockouts  are  threatened  and  after 
they  occur. 

These  investigations  should  be  made  either  at  the  request  of  workingmen.  the  em- 
ployers of  labor,  or  outside  parties.  The  decision  of  the  Industrial  Commission  should 
not  be  binding  upon  either  party  to  the  dispute,  but  all  employers  and  employees  should 
be  urged  not  to  have  recourse  to  lockouts  or  strikes  until  the  matters  in  dispute  shall 
have  been  submitted  to  the  Industrial  Commission  and  at  least  a  week's  time  given  for 
the  investigation,  the  result  of  which  should  be  made  public.  The  expense  of  the  In- 
dustrial Commission  should  be  paid  by  the  City  of  New  York. 

The  Creation  of  a  State  Employment  Bureau. 

Although  there  are  several  hundred  commercial  employment  offices  in  New  York 
and  a  number  of  charitable  agencies  for  helping  people  secure  employment,  they  are 
not  rendering  the  needed  service  in  finding  work  for  even  those  who  can  afford  to  pay 
the  employer's  fee  for  temporary  employment,  which  will  last  frequently  only  a  few 
months  at  longest  and  often  only  two  or  three  months,  as  has  been  frequently  testilied 
before  this  Commission.  At  many  of  the  meetings  of  the  Commission  poverty,  low 
wages  and  lack  of  work  have  been  given  as  important  causes  of  room  overcrowding 
and  congestion.  The  creation  of  a  Municipal  Labor  Bureau  has  been  suggested  several 
times,  and  the  Committee  on  Labor  and  Wages  'have  secured  some  information,  al- 
though complete  figures  are  not  available  regarding  the  number  of  persons  for  whom 
employment  was  secured.  In  New  York  City,  under  the  Employment  Agency  Law  of 
the  State,  employment  agencies  are  licensed  by  the  Commissioner  of  Licenses,  and  at 
the  time  this  oft'ice  was  created  there  were  450  employment  agencies  licensed,  but  they 
number  nearly  double  that  now.  The  Commissioner  of  Licenses  also  regulates  theatri- 
cal, commercial,  stenographic,  shipping  and  labor  agencies  and  nurses  registries. 

The  following  table  shows,  however,  the  number  of  situations  secured  in  one  year 
by  some  of  the  leading  philanthropic  agencies  of  the  city,  and  the  number  of  men,  ex- 
clusive of  the  farm  laborers,  sent  out  of  the  city  by  employment  agencies  as  shown  by 
the  contract  labor  statements  filed.     The  list  is  incomplete : 

Jewish  Agricultural  and  Industrial   Society 343 

Immigrants'   Free  Labor   Bureau 4,071 

Industrial    Removal    Office    3,504 

Division  of  Information  (Bureau  of  Immigration) 4,142 

Joint  Application  Bureau   421 

National   Employment   Exchange    4,120 

Number  of  men    (exclusive  of  farm  laborers  sent  out  of  the  city  by  em- 
ployment  agencies)    34,925 

Bureau  of  Labor  (Dept.  of  Agriculture)  about 5,000 

For  a  number  of  years  German  cities  have  been  conducting  impartial  labor  ex- 
changes. The  attitude  of  the  trade  unions  toward  this  work  in  the  cities  has  been 
very  interesting.  In  18%,  the  Trade  Unions'  Congress  condemned  the  impartial 
public  labor  exchanges,  and  about  three  years  later,  in  1899,  it  adopted  the  resolution 
that  "under  present  conditions,  the  establishment  of  public  labor  exchanges  might  be 
of  great  advantage  to  many  trades,"  and  recommended  organized  la:bor  everywhere 
to  take  its  part  in  the  management  of  these  institutions.  Practically  all  of  the  im- 
portant labor  exchanges  in  Germany  have  committees  of  management  representing 
employers  and  employed. 

There  were  in  Germany  in  1903,  400  public  general  labor  exchanges.  30  employers' 
exchanges,  2.400  guild  exchanges  and  1,000  employees'  exchanges,  and  in  Stuttgart, 
with  a  population  of  249,000  in  1905,  a  total  of  62,918  positions  were  filled  in  the  last 
vear  for  which  the  figures  are  available,  while  in  Munich,  with  a  population  of 
539,000  in  1905,  60,752  positions  were  filled.  In  1906,  82.?  per  cent,  of  the  total  number 
of  situations  offered  were  filled,  while  95.4  per  cent,  of  the  appHcants  for  positions 
found  work. 


t^" 


209 


Attitude  of  Public  Labor  Exchanges  Toward  Labor   Differences. 

Tlie  question  has  arisen  naturally  whether  public  labor  exchanges  should  inter- 
fere with  the  question  of  wages  and  conditions  of  labor  to  the  extent  of  refusing  to 
notify  situations  in  which  wages  and  conditions  do  not  conform  to  the  "recognized"' 
or  trade  union  standard,  but  in  Germany  no  public  labor  exchange  regards  the  en- 
forcement of  any  particular  condition  of  labor  within  its  functions,  that  being  at- 
tended to  by  the  unions  and  by  the  industrial  courts;  but  a  striking  service  rendered 
by  these  public  labor  exchanges,  however,  is  the  calling  of  an  employer's  attention 
when  he  offers  an  exceptionally  low  wage  to  the  fact  that  there  is  small  likelihood 
that  he  will  get  a  man  at  that  price.  The  second  question  is  whether  the  public 
exchange  in  time  of  open  disputes  between  the  two  parties  should  supply  men 
through  their  agency  to  take  the  place  of  others  on  strike  or  lockouts.  The  exchanges 
have  adopted   four  different  methods  of  procedure. 

(1st)  To  ignore  the  dispute  altogether  and  send  workmen  to  the  vacancy  due 
to  the  dispute  in  exactlj-  the  same  way  as  to  any  other. 

(2d)  To  register  vacancies  created  by  the  dispute  notifying  the  men  and  giving 
formal  notice  to  the  individual  applicants  that  there  is  such  a  dispute  and  by  placing 
placards  to  this  effect  in  the  exchange  rooms. 

(3d)  To  suspend  operations  within  the  range  of  the  dispute  during  its  continu- 
ance. 

(4th)  To  make  action  in  each  case  depend  upon  the  meeting  and  decision  of  the 
industrial  court  sitting  as  an  arbitration  tribunal. 

The  second,  that  is,  registering  vacancies  and  giving  formal  notice  of  strikes,  is 
common,  and  usually  workmen  refuse  to  take  the  positions  made  vacant  by  strikes. 

The  reasons  oft'ered  in  Germany  for  the  conversion  from  former  hostility  to 
strong,  practical  support  of  these  labor  exchanges  is  attributed  to  the  following, 
amongst  other  reasons : 

Experience  of  the  value  of  successful  exchanges  in  shortening  for  the  indi- 
vidual workmen  the  average  period  between  one  job  and  the  next,  and  thus  for  the 
union  the  period  of  unemployed  pay. 

The  failure  of  purely  trade  union  exchanges  to  secure  general  use  by  employers 
except  in  a  few  trades  in  which  the  men  were  already  completely  organized. 

The  establishment  bv  employers  of  their  own  exchanges  in  definite  opposition  to 
trade  unionism.  A,  onblic  (impartial)  exchange  is  at  any  rate  better  from  the  work- 
men's point  of  view  than  an  exchange  managed  deliberately  with  the  object  of  main- 
taining a  large  reserve  of  labor  or  blacklisting  individual  "agitators." 

Som.e  trade  vmions  still  maintain  their  own  labor  exchanges,  however. 

In  Freiburg  the  number  of  situations  annually  filled  is  one  in  every  4.2  of  the 
population,  and  in  Stuttgart  one  in  every  4.4,  and  in  Mannheim  one  in  every  8.2. 

On  the  basis  of  one  for  every  4.2  of  the  population  of  New  York  City,  at  least 
1,100,000  positions  would  be  filled  annually. 

In  the  German  labor  exchanges  applicants  are  charged  a  registration  fee  of  five 
cents,  for  which  they  get  a  certificate  admitting  them  into  the  waiting  rooms  of  the 
exchanges  for  three  months,  or  until  they  can  get  a  position. 

Unemployment  in  New  York,  of  course,  varies  from  year  to  year,  and  in  "differ- 
ent trades. 

The  percentage  of  idleness  in  representative  unions  in  New  York  City  was  as 
follows  on  December  of  each  year,  although  the  length  of  time  of  unemployment 
is  unknown  : 


1904. 

1905. 

1906. 

1907. 

1908. 

1909. 

17.8 

6.7 

12.8 

34.2 

27.7 

18 

This  does  not  include  the  non-union,  i.  e.,  unorganized  trades  and  labor  in  the 
City.  • 

The  creation  of  a  Municipal  Employment  Exchange  has  been  carefully  consid- 
ered by  the  Committee.  After  conferences  with  the  State  Commission  on  Employ- 
ers' Liability  and  causes  of  Industrial  Accidents,  Unemployment  and  Lack  of  Farm 
Labor,  which  has  made  at  the  Committee's  suggestion  several  modifications  of  its 
proposed  bill  establishing  public  employment  offices  in  several  cities  of  the  State, 
the  Committee  have  decided  to  endorse  the  main  features  of  this  bill  with  the  under- 
standing that  if  the  proposed  bill  to  establish  employment  offices  as  prepared  by  the 
State  Commission  on  Lfnemployment,  etc.,  is  not  enacted  the  Commission  will  recom- 
mend the  creation  of  a  Municipal  Employment  Exchange. 


210 

There  are  two  reasons  unique  to  large  cities  and  especially  New  York  for  such 
State  emploj-ment  agencies : 

1st.  The  large  iiuniber  of  unskilled  wage  earners  in  New  York  City.  Out  of  a 
total  this  year  of  approximately  690,000  persons  engaged  in  manufacturing  in  the 
industries  supervised  by  the  State  Department  of  Labor,  only  274,000  were  members 
of  labor  unions  on  March  31,  1910.  In  addition  to  this  number  reported  by  the  State 
Department  of  Labor,  there  are  at  least  500,000  persons  engaged  in  semi-skilled  or 
unskilled  occupations  in  this  City. 

2d.  The  temporary  nature  of  niucJi  einploynient  in  the  City.  The  City  is  itself, 
of  course,  the  largest  employer  of  labor  in  the  City,  and  while  it  has  about  85,000 
employees  on  its  permanent  payroll,  it  has  about  22.000  who  are  temporarily  em- 
ployed, that  is,  almost  one-fourth  are  part  timers.  Approximately  half  of  the  un- 
skilled workers  of  the  City  are  employed  for  only  part  of  the  year,  that  is,  for  from 
six  to  a  maximum  of  ten  or  eleven  months.  There  are  not,  unfortunately,  definite 
statistics  on  this  point.  One  of  the  arguments  usually  given  for  locating  factories 
in  Xew  York  City  is,  however,  the  large  labor  market;  in  other  words,  the  fact  that 
there  are  more  men  and  women  trying  to  earn  a  living  than  jobs  to  wdiich  they  may 
turn,  either  immediately  or  for  permanent  emi)loyment.  The  fact  that  the  City  is 
spending  such  large  sums  on  charity,  both  public  and  private,  is  partly  due  to  the 
low  wages  and  unemployment  or  under-employment  in  the  City.  Unemployment  or 
under-employment  is  not  entirely  due.  however,  to  lack  of  employment,  but  to  ig- 
norance on  the  part  of  those  temporarily  unemployed  or  out  of  a  job  of  the  oppor- 
tunities for  work. 

It  has  been  stated  that  a  State  or  Municipal  Employment  Bureau  would  not  be 
able  to  compete  with  the  scores  of  private  employment  agencies.  The  Committee 
feels  that  an  efficiently  administered  Municipal  Employment  Bureau  would  be  able 
■gradually  to  drive  unscrupulous  or  inefficient  employment  agencies  out  of  the  field, 
^rst.  because  those  seeking  employment  through  it  would  have  more  confidence  in 
Ihe  honesty  of  its  officials,  and  this  would  be  especially  true  of  foreigners,  seeking 
•work;  and  second,  because  the  State  or  Municipal  Employment  Bureau  would  be  able 
io  render  the  service  free.  Most  of  these  private  agencies  have  a  number  of  runners 
■whose  salaries  and  expenses  are  a  large  item  in  the  cost  of  maintenance,  while  the 
total  number  of  persons  for  whom  each  secures  employment  is  relatively  small.  If 
it  is  found  necessary,  however,  the  total  number  of  commercial  employment  agencies 
in  the  City  may  subsequently  be  limited  to  a  stated  number,  the  licenses  of  those 
whose  record  has  been  most  unsatisfactory  being  revoked  first. 

A  National  Department  of  Labor. 

The  interests  of  the  laborers  of  the  country,  skilled  and  unskilled,  organized  and 
unorganized,  city  and  rural,  are  of  such  great  importance  as  to  require  the  organi- 
zation of  a  National  Department  of  Labor  with  a  Secretary  who  shall  be  co-ordinate 
with  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  and  have  a  seat  in  the  President's  cabinet.  At  many 
meetings  of  the  Committee  the  fact  has  been  emphasized  that  not  only  immigrants — 
whther  naturalized  or  unnaturalized  aliens — but  American  citizens  as  well,  hesitate 
to  go  into  the  country,  and  when  they  do  go  they  often  find  the  real  wages  paid 
so  low  that  the  native  American  is  unable  to  live  upon  the  wages  paid  immigrants. 
It  is  very  important  not  only  that  workers  should  know  where  there  is  work,  but 
as  well  the  conditions  under  which  they  will  be  able  to  work  and  live.  This  infor- 
mation can  be.  most  unbiasedly  and  frankly  and  generally  secured  by  the  Federal 
Government,  through  the  Department  of  Labor.  The  duties  of  such  a  department 
should   be  two-fold  : 

(a)  To  give  the  widest  publicity  throughout  the  country  to  the  opportunities  for 
w^ork.  This  information  can  best  be  given  through  a  system  of  labor  bureaus  or  ex- 
changes in  different  sections  of  the  country.  There  should  be  one  in  at  least  every 
city  of  25.000  or  over,  and  in  country  districts,  with  an  adequate  corps  of  agents  and  ' 
adequate  appropriation  so  that  they  could  keep  in  touch  with  the  need  for  labor  not 
only  of  the  city  but  of  the  surrounding  country,  and  telegraph  to  the  central  office 
daily  demands  for  laborers  as  well  as  laborers  available,  so  that  information  could 
be  sent  daily  to  each  branch  office  from  the  central  office  regarding  the  labor  needs 
of  the  country.  Complete  and  general  information  regarding  the  labor  market  is  as 
important  to  the  man  who  has  only  his  labor  to  sell  as  similar  information  regard- 
ing stocks,  bonds  and  grains  is  to  the  dealer  in  these  commodities,  and  it  is  pre- 
eminently the  function  of  the  Government  to  furnish  this  information  to  the  laborers 
of  the  country.  The  representatives  of  the  Division  of  Information  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  Commerce  and  Labor  testified  that  very  often  people  come  to  New  York  City 
from  some  other  State  for  a  job  and  are  sent  back  to  a  job  in  the  same  county  from 
which  they  came. 


211 

(b)  To  give  the  widest  publicity  throughout  the  country  to  the  conditions  of 
labor,  wages  paid,  permanency  of  employment,  etc.  This  should  be  done  by  a  corps 
of  investigators  in  the  Department  of  Labor,  who  should  be  continually  investigating 
in  cities  and  country  districts  alike,  the  following  conditions  of  labor  and  living  : 

(a)  Wages  paid,  whether  by  the  day.  week  or  month,  method  of  payment  and 
frequency  in   the   main   skilled   and   unskilled   trades. 

(b)  Unemployment,  whether  permanent  or  the  number  of  weeks  work  a  year 
and  the  possibility  of  securing  supplementary  work  at  a  time  of  idleness  of  stated 
trades. 

(c)  Hygienic  and  sanitary  conditions  of  factories  or  other  places  of  employment. 

(d)  Housing  Conditions — The  rent  of  two.  three,  four  or  five-room  apartments 
within  walking  distance  of  work  and  transit  facilities  and  fares. 

(e)  Cost  of  main  staples  of  consumption,  flour,  meat,  vegetables,  sugar,  etc. 

(f)  Public  school  opportunities,  length  of  school  term,  nature  of  instruction, 
physical  equipment,  etc. 

(g)  Social  and  recreational  opportunities.  The  predominating  nationalities  or 
races  and  the  general  social  opportunities,  such  as  playgrounds,  parks,  theatres,  rec- 
reation centres,   lectures,   cheap  moving  picture  shows,  etc. 

(h)  Labor  conditions,  whether  the  shops  are  "closed,"  open  or  preferential,  and 
whether  strikes  are  imminent  or  in  progress,  with  attitude  of  labor  unions  toward 
unorganized  labor 

Such  an  investigation  would  show  the  real  rate  of  wages  and  not  merely  the 
nominal  wages,  so  that  the  laborer  may  know  just  what  the  wages  offered  really 
mean. 

This  investigation  should  be  made  immediately  public  to  the  City  authorities  and 
to  the  community  and  an  opportunity  given  them  of  from  one  to  three  months  '■o 
improve  conditions,  after  which  a  re-examination  should  be  made,  and  the  conditions 
then  found  should  be  made  public  through  the  press  of  the  country. 

Reclamation  of  Waste  Lands  in   the  State  and  a  More  Intelligent   State 

Forestry  Policy. 

Prof.  Liberty  H.  Bailey,  of  Cornell  L^niversity,  states:  "Practically  half  of  New 
York  State  is  still  in  woods  and  swamps  and  wastes,  but  all  of  it  is  usable.  Grass  and- 
timber  extend  to  the  tops  of  the  hills." 

The  State  has  also  about  1,600,000  acres  of  forests  on  which  it  is  losing  now 
about  $700,CCO  annually  by  the  rotting  of  timber. 

While,  of  course,  sweatshop  workers  of  New  York  City  could  not  be  expected 
to  make  a  success  as  laborers  in  forests  or  reclaiming  swamp  lands,  it  is  evident  that 
there  is  ample  opportunity  for  the  employment  productively  of  tens  of  thousands  of 
men  on  these  enterprises  and  that  the  State  should  immediately  undertake  such  a 
policy  of  conservation,  as  well  as  a  stoppage  of  waste. 

Prohibition  of  Tenement  Manufacture. 

Tenement  manufacture  is  a  most  important  cause  and  accompaniment,  as  well  as 
result  of  congestion  of  population.  There  are  at  present_  over  13,500  licenses  for 
tenements  for  manufacture  in  New  York  City,  and  there  is  practically  no  tenement 
manufacture  in  any  other  city  of  the  State.  At  present  an  entire  tenement  is  licensed 
for  manufacturing  and  not  merely  an  apartment  in  a  tenement.  Evidence  has  fre- 
quently been  presented  before  the  Commission  that  tenement  manufacture  is  going 
on  in  apartments  in  which  there  are  cases  of  consumption  or  scarlet  fever  or  diphtheria 
or  measles  and  that  the  people  are  so  poor  that  if  their  work  is  taken  away  from 
them  by  the  Board  of  Health  because  there  is  some  case  of  contagious  disease  in 
the  family,  they  secure  some  work  from  their  neighbors  in  an  adjoining  apartment 
so  as  to  earn  money  to  pay  their  rent. 

The  Committee  therefore  recommends  that  tenement  house  manufacture  should 
be  prohibited,  since  it  is  impossible  practically  to  prevent  the  gross  evils,  physical 
and  moral,  of  which  it  is  a  cause.  H  it  is  not  constitutional  to  prohibit  absolutely 
tenement  manufacture,  thev  recommend  that  no  tenement  manufacture  be  permitted 
in  any  family  in  which  there  are  children  and  that  the  manufacturer  be  made  re- 
sponsible for  this:  that  is,  if  any  such  work  is  found  by  the  inspectors  in  families 
in  which  there  are  children,  the  manufacturer  should  be  punished  by  a  very  heavy 
fine  or  imprisonment.  To  make  possible  the  identification  of  clothing,  they_  recom- 
mend that  the  manufacturers  of  any  product  given  out  to  be  worked  upon  in  tene- 
ments shall  have  the  stamp  or  name  of  the  manufacturer  and  his  address  and  that 
any  material  found  without  such  identification  shall  be  confiscated  by  the  City  through 
the  inspectors  of  the  State  Department  of  Labor  or  City  Department  of  Health,  and 
sold,  the  proceeds  to  go  to  the  Central  Fund  of  the  City  for  the  reduction  of  taxes. 


212 

Prevention  of  Room   and  Factory  Overcrowding. 

Rent  is  the  first  item  of  the  family's  budget  to  be  cut  down  wlicn  the  family- 
receives  low  wages  or  when  they  are  economical  to  the  point  of  penuriousness.  By 
taking  in  lodgers  or  by  paying  too  little  rent,  i.  e.,  having  too  few  rooms,  for  the 
decent  accommodations  of  their  families,  many  men  are  enabled  to  work  for  less 
wages  than  they  should  receive  and  so  eventually  lower  the  standard  of  wages  and 
living  in  general  in  the  City. 

The  Committee  therefore  urges  that  since  the  housing  standard  is  the  one  stand- 
ard which  government  can  enforce  adequate  measures  be  adopted  to  prevent  the 
present  room  overcrowding,  and  they  feel  that  it  would  be  better  to  pay  rent  for 
a  few  people  even  than  to  permit  the  lowering  of  wages  due  and  made  possible  by 
room  overcrowding. 

The  Committee  urge  also  that  legislation  should  be  enacted  preventing  the  over- 
crowding of  factories,  which  increase  the  danger  of  accidents  and  injures  the  health 
of  the  employees. 

Wages  Paid  in  Some  Factories  in  Brooklyn. 
Laborers,  IS  cents  per  hour. 
Water  Tenders,  19  cents  per  hour. 
Boilers,  from  $18  to  $25  per  week  of  seven  days. 
Tallymen  and  Weighers,  26^^  cents  per  hour. 
Longshoremen,  26?^  cents  per  hour. 
Ship  Trimmers,  41^  cents  per  hOur. 

The  average  pay  of  Longshoremen,  30  cents  per  hour,  night. 
Night  work,  45  cents  per  hour;  Sundays,  SO  cents  per  hour. 
Railroads : 

New  York  Central,  19^)4  cents  per  hour. 
New  Haven,  19^  cents  per  hour. 
Erie,  17  cents  per  hour. 

Clyde  Line,  30  cents  per  hour  day  work ;  35  cents  night  work. 
Metropolitan,  25  cents  day  and  night. 

Trans-Atlantic,  30  cents  day  work ;  45  cents  night  work ;  60  cents  Christmas. 
Teamsters — Teamsters  in  the  Sugar  House,  $16  per  week ;  30  cents  per  hour  over- 
time.' 

The  average  pay  of  day  laborers  is  17^/'  cents  per  hour,  9  hours'  work. 

Rockmen,  $2.50  per  day. 

Jute  Mills — For  women,  from  $4.30  to  $6  per  week. 

Men,  from  $6  to  $8  per  week. 

Longshoremen,  from  $8  to  $10  per  week. 

Boys  and  girls,  about  $2.50  per  week. 

Wages  Must  Be  Sufficient  During  Employment  to  Support  the  Worker  During 

THE  Entire  Year. 

Mr.  W.  H.  Beveridge,  in  "Unemployment."  states :  "Ultimately,  therefore,  seasonal 
fluctuation  becomes  a  question  not  of  unemployment,  but  of  wages.  From  an  econo- 
mic point  of  view  no  industry  is  self-supporting  unless  it  pays  wages  sufficient  to  keep 
men,  not  only  while  they  are  at  work,  but  also  while  they  must  stand  idle  and  in  re- 
serve. Where  in  any  occupation  seasonal  fluctuation  year  after  year  brings  acute 
distress,  that  occupation  must  be  judged  as  one  in  which  wages  are  too  low  or  ill- 
spent,  because  they  do  not  average  out  to  a  sufficiency  for  the  slack  months  as  well  as 
for  the  busy  ones.  It  is  from  this  point  of  view  that  the  problem  must  be  regarded. 
It  is  upon  this  basis  that  its  treatment  must  be  attempted.     (Note  page  37.) 

Underemployment  and  Casual  Labor. 

"By  casual  employment,  therefore,  real  earnings  may  be  and  are  driven  down  to 
a  normal  level  far  below  the  lowest  rate  possible  in  regular  industry,  however  plentiful 
the  competition  and  unorganized  the  workmen.  This,  however,  by  no  means  exhausts 
the  peculiar  evils  of  this  indirect  form  of  sweating. 

"First,  such  wages  as  are  earned  arc  seldom  used  to  the  best  advantage.  Irregu- 
lar earnings  averaging  25  shillings  a  week  are  for  ordinary  human  nature  by  no  means 
the  equivalent  of  a  regular  wage  of  that  amount.  They  are  certain  to  a  large  ex- 
tent to'  be  wasted  in  alterations  of  extravagance  and  privation. 

"Second,  casual  employment  by  demoralizing  men  largely  increases  its  own  evils. 
Men  who  find  their  chance  of  employment  not  reasonably  increased  by  good  be- 
havior and  not  destroyed  by  bad  behavior  naturally  become  slack.  They  work 
badly;  they  take  the  chance  of  lying  in  bed  now  and  again  since  work  is  always  un- 
certain, but  will  not  be  made  more  uncertain  to-morrow  by  the  fact  that  it  had  not 
been  sought  to-day.     It  is,  however,  needless  to  dwell  upon  this  point.     There  is  gen- 


213 

cral  agreement  that  casual  employment,  as  was  said  of  tlie  casual  wards,  'acts  as  a  trap 
to  catch  the  unemployed  and  turn  them  into  unemployables.' 

"Third,  casual  employment  is  one  of  the  most  potent  causes  of  sweating  in  the 
ordinary  sense.  When  the  liead  of  the  familj'  cannot  get  enough  work,  his  wife  and 
children  are  driven  out  to  take  what  they  can  get  at  once.  The  tendency  of  low  grade 
women's  industries,  jam  making,  sack  and  tarpaulin  work,  matchbox  making  and  the 
like,  to  get  established  in  districts  where  labor  for  men  is  rife  has  often  been  noticed. 
The  effect,  of  course,  is  to  increase  the  immobility  of  the  laborer;  even  if  his  earn- 
ings dwindle  away  to  almost  nothing,  he  is  kept  from  effectively  seeking  work  else- 
where by  the  occupation  of  his  family.  'Much  is  now  being  said  of  the  evils  of  home 
work  and  the  low  wages  paid  to  women.  But  these  evils  in  the  great  majority  of  cases 
are  effect,  not  cause.  They  generally  originate  in  the  fact  that  women,  unskilled  and 
unable,  even  not  desiring  to  work  regularly,  compete  in  low  grade  occupations  at  the 
time  when  their  casually  employed  husbands  and  fathers  are  out  of  work.  Reduce 
the  extent  of  casual  labor  among  men  and  the  supply  of  out-workers  will  decrease 
except  at  wages  and  under  conditions  that  are  of  worth  acceptance.  It  is  useless  to 
give  by  means  of  a  minimum  wage  to  women  the  means  for  transforming  the  woman 
into  the  main  supporter  of  the  family  and  so  leaving  the  man  free  to  accept  even 
worse  paj'  or  more  casual  conditions.' 

"Fourth,  and  following  directly  upon  the  foregoing,  the  danger  of  subsidizing 
casual  employment  by  public  or  private  relief  without  improving  the  conditions  of  the 
casual  laborer  is  a  veri'  real  orx*.  T«-  i<^  r.^t  easy  to  get  evirl^-n'^e  '^f  ^He  nominal  rate" 
of  wages  in  a  district  being  affected  iniuriousl}'  by  lax  administration  of  outdoor  relief 
or  of  charity;  probably  custom  and  public  sentiment  are  at  all  times  sufficient  to  hold 
in  check  the  theoretical  tendency  of  'grants  in  aid  of  wages'  to  depress  wages  directly. 
But  in  regard  to  casual  employment,  while  it  is  equally  difficult  to  get  direct  evidence 
of  harm  done  by  charitable  subsidies,  it  is  clear  than  there  are  no  such  practical  ob- 
stacles to  the  working  of  economic  laws.  People  who  would  be  aghast  at  charity  or 
public  assistance  given  to  a  man  in  receipt  of  low  wages  are  quite  ready  to  help  an 
'unemployed'  casual  laborer,  though  if  the  analysis  on  page  79  is  sound,  the  ultimate 
effect  must  be  to  lower  the  average  share  of  work  required  for  subsistence  and  thus 
increase  the  number  of  casual  laborers  till  a  fresh  equilibrium  is  reached  at  that  lower 
level. 

"While,  however,  the  problem  of  underemployment  is  in  this  sense  limited  and  nar- 
rower than  that  of  the  reserve  of  labor,  it  cannot  profitably  be  considered  without  ref- 
erence to  the  wider  aspects.  It  has  to  be  seen  as  a  problem,  not  of  rescuing  individuals, 
but  of  reforming  an  industrial  method:  as  a  problem,  not  of  grappling  with  an  emer- 
gency, but  of  raising  a  general  level  of  life.  It  is  in  essentials  a  problem  of  business 
organization  that  of  providing  a  reserve  of  labor  power  to  meet  fluctuations  in  such 
a  way  as  not  to  involve  distress.  This  is  done  by  soi.ic  industries.  In  the  Dossibility 
of  doing  it  for  all  lies  the  onlv  hope  of  a  cure  for  one  of  the  most  inveterate  of  social 
evils."     (Note,  pp.  108,  100  and  110.^ 

W.  H.  Beveridge:  "Unemployment."     (pp.  108,  109  and  110.) 

Conclusion. 

Unemployment  is  not  to  be  identified  as  a  problem  of  general  overpopulation. 
There  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  industrial  system  has  lost  permanently  anything 
of  its  former  power  to  absorb  the  growing  supply  of  labor  There  is  a  reason  to  sup- 
pose that  any  new  stimulus  to  the  expansion  of  industry  is  required.  There  is  con- 
clusive reason  for  holding  that  no  such  stimulus  can  make  any  lasting  impression  upon 
the  causes  of  unemployment. 

Unemployment  arises  because,  while  the  supply  of  labor  grows  steadily,  the  demand 
for  labor,  in  growing,  varies  incessantly  in  volume,  distribution  and  character.  This 
variation,  in  several  of  its  forms  at  least,  flows  directly  from  the  control  of  production 
by  many  competing  employers.  It  is  obvious  that,  so  long  as  the  industrial  world  is 
split  up  into  separate  groups  of  producers,  each  group  with  a  life  of  its  own,  and 
growing  or  decaying  in  ceaseless  attrition  upon  its  neighbors,  there  must  be  insecurity 
of  employment.  It  is  probable  that  at  least  one  of  the  most  striking  specific  factors  in 
the  problem,  namely,  cyclical  fluctuation  of  trade,  may  be  traced  ultimately  to  this 
same  course.  Unemployment,  in  other  words,  is  to  some  extent  at  least  part  of  the 
price  of  industrial  competition,  part  of  the  waste  without  which  there  could  be  no 
competition  at  all.  Socialistic  criticism  of  the  existing  order  has  therefore  on  this 
side  much  justification.  The  theoretic  reply  to  that  criticism  must  take  the  form,  not 
of  a  denial,  but  of  a  gloss,  that  there  may  be  worse  things  in  a  community  than  un- 
employment. The  practical  reply  is  to  be  found  in  reducing  the  pain  of  unemployment 
to  relative  insignificance.  In  this  there  seems  to  be  no  impossibility.  If  the  solution  of 
the  problem  of  unemployment  means  that  every  man  should  have  the  certainty  of  con- 


214 

tinuous  work  throughout  life,  then  no  solution  is  to  be  expected,  or,  indeed  desired. 
If,  however,  by  a  solution  is  meant  that  no  man  able  and  willing  to  work  should  come 
to  degradation  or  destitution  for  want  of  wages,  then  a  solution  is,  not  indeed  within 
sight,  but  by  no  means  beyond  hope.  Its  direction  is  certain  and  its  distance  not  in- 
finite. The  demand  for  labor  cannot  be  stereotyped  save  in  a  stagnant  industry.  The 
supply  of  labor  may  be  made  unmeasurably  more  capable  of  following  and  waiting  for 
the  demand. 

"This  on  its  two  sides — of  the  following  demand  and  waiting  for  the  demand — 
is  the  policy  outlined  in  the  two  last  chapters.    The  policy  mav  be  variously  described. 

"It  is  a  policy  of  industrial  organization  :  of  meeting  deliberately  industrial  needs 
that  at  present  are  met  waste  fully  because  without  deliberation.  Fluctuations  of  de- 
mand are  now  provided  for  by  the  maintenance  of  huge  stagnant  reserves  of  labor  in 
varying  extremities  of  distress.  There  is  no  rtason  in  the  nature  of  things  why  they 
should  not  be  provided  for  by  organized  reserves  of  labor  raised  beyond  the  reach  of 
distress.  To  be  able  to  follow  the  demand  men  must  possess  greater  powers  of  in- 
telligent movement  from  place  to  place;  they  must  possess  also  power  to  move  from 
trade  to  trade,  or — a  more  essential  point — they  must  have  better  guidance  in  the  first 
choice  of  occupations.  To  he  able  to  wait  for  the  demand,  men  must  have  a  reserve 
for  emergencies ;  they  must  not  be  living  from  hand  to  mouth ;  they  must,  through 
insurance  or  its  equivalent  be  able  to  average  wages  over  good  and  bad  times  and  to 
subsist  without  demoralization  till  they  can  be  reabsorbed  again  after  industrial  trans- 
formations. These  two  measures  are  complementary  and,  in  some  sense  indeed,  al- 
ternative to  one  another.  The  better  the  supply  of  labor  is  able  to  follow  the  demand, 
the  less  will  it  have  to  wait  for  the  demand.  The  greater  the  power  of  waiting  for  the 
demand,  that  is  to  say,  the  higher  the  rate  or  the  better  the  distribution  of  wages, 
the  less  need  is  there  for  movement. 

"It  is  a  policy  of  establishing  the  standard  of  life  upon  a  longer  and  broader  basis. 
An  individual  is  not  self-supporting  unless  his  earnings  amount  to  a  sufficiency  for 
life  and  not  merely  tc  a  sufficiency  for  the  time  of  working.  An  industry  is  not  self 
supporting  unless  it  yields  wages  not  only  for  the  time  of  employment,  but  also  for 
the  time  of  inevitable  unemplojTiient  as  well ;  unless  it  maintains  all  the  men  required 
by  it  both  while  they  are  in  active  service  and  while  they  are  standing  in  reserve.  So 
far,  therefore,  as  the  problem  arises  from  fluctuations  of  industrial  activity,  it  be- 
comes essentially  one  of  wages — of  their  amount,  division  and  expenditure,  and,  on 
this  side  at  least,  it  falls  within  ascertainable  limits.  Fluctuations  of  trade  vary  in  range 
but  do  not  vary  definitely.  So  far  as  the  problem  arises  from  changes  of  industrial 
structure  or  loss  of  industrial  quality,  it  is  not  so  measurable.  In  practice,  however, 
causes  of  this  nature  are  relatively  unimportant,  and  in  any  case  the  resources,  whether 
provided  by  individual  saving  or  by  way  of  insurance,  which  would  enable  men  to 
tide  over  periods  of  temporary  depression  would  also  serve  to  keep  them  while  search- 
ing for  new  occupations. 

"It  is  a  policy  of  making  reality  correspond  with  the  assumptions  of  economic 
theory.  Assuming  the  demand  for  labor  to  be  single  and  the  supply  perfectly  fluid,  it 
is  not  hard  to  show  that  unemployment  must  always  be  in  process  of  disappearance, 
that  demand  and  supply  are  constantly  tending  to  an  equilibrium.  The  ideal  for 
practical  reform,  therefore,  must  be  to  concentrate  the  demand  and  to  give  the  right 
fluiditv  to  the   supply. 

"Finally,  it  is  a  policy  of  introducing  organization  and  unity  where,  and  only 
where,  they  involve  no  harmful  limitation  of  individual  risks  and  responsibilities.  In- 
dustrial competition  involves  that  for  every  piece  of  work  to  be  done,  two  separate 
producing  units  should  offer,  that  there  should  be  two  tenders  for  every  contract. 
\\'ith  an  unorganized  labor  market,  this  means  that  each  of  the  two  contracts  tendering 
has  to  keep  in  his  neighborhood,  or  within  touch  of  him,  a  separate  reserve  of  labor 
to  be  called  on  in  case  he  should  be  successful.  Whichever  contractor  is  successful, 
one  of  these  reserves  will  be  unemployed.  In  the  socialist  state  there  will  be  no  sepa- 
rate producing  units,  the  two  contractor?  will  have  been  made  one  for  all  purposes.  In 
the  competitive  state  with  an  organized  labor  market  there  will  still  be  the  two  con- 
tractors, but  they  will  draw  their  men  from  a  common  centre,  and  so  use  the  same 
reserve  of  labor.  Whichever  contractor  is  successful  the  same  men  will  obtain  em- 
plo>ment.  The  only  loss  of  employment  will  he  that  of  the  unsuccessful  contractor 
and  his  permanent  staff.  The  heaviest  stress  of  competition  will  fall  where  it  can  be 
borne  with  the  least  suffering  and  where  it  is  most  needed  to  prevent  stagnation." 

W.  H.  Beveridge:  "Unemployment"  (pp.  235  and  237). 


215 


Table  of  Labor  Exchanges  in  Germany  (1908). 


Type  of  Exchange. 


Number  of 
Exchanges. 


Estimated 

Number 

of  Situations 

Filled  (1904). 


Public,  General    

Employers'    

Guild  " . . . 

Employees'    

Employers'  and  Employees'  Joint  Management. 

Chambers   of    Agriculture 

Commercial  (i.  e.,  for  clerks,  travelers,  etc.),.  . .  . 


400 

30 

2,400 

1,000 

60 

11 


550,000 

230,000 

213,000 

120,000 

51,000 

50,000 

25.000 


These  exchanges  put  would-be  employers  and  employed  into  immediate  communi- 
cation, and  serve  to  supply  a  known  market  place  lor  labor. 

Principal  Public  Labor  Exchanges  in  Germany. 


Town 


Population 
(1905)' 


Number  of  Situations 
Filled  in  the  Last  Year ' 


Male 


Female       Total 


Character 
and  Date  of  Establishment 


Berlin 2,040.090         84,375         15,182         99,557 


Stuttgart. . .  . 

Munich 

Frankfurt. .  . 

Dresden 

Cologne 

249,000 
539.000 
335,000 
517,000 
429,000 

37.893 
29,658 
21,195 
11,248 
21,805 

18,427 
24,015 
15,701 
22,893 
7,359 

56,320 
53.673 
37,896 
34,141 
29,164 

Dusseldorf . . 

253,000 

25,862 

2.844 

28,706 

Leipzig  .  .  . 
Mannheim 

Freiburg. . 


Strassburg 
Nurnburg. , 


504,000 
164,000 


9,945 


16,425 


26,370 
19,925 


74,000         11.268 


6.433         17.701 


168.000         12.171  3.293         lS.464 

294.000  9,878  4,940         14.818 


Voluntary  association 
(1883),  with  municipal 
subsidy  since  1893. 

Municipal  (1895). 

Municipal   (1895). 

Municipal  (1895). 

Voluntary  association. 

Representative  association, 
with  all  expenditure  met 
by  municipality  (1894). 

Representative  association, 
with  all  expenditure  by 
municipality  since  1906. 
P'ormerlv  Voluntary  Asso- 
ciation  (1890). 

Voluntary  association,  with 
municipal  subsidy. 

Municipal  since  1905.  Form- 
erly voluntary  association 
(1893). 

Municipal  since  1897.  Form- 
erly voluntary  association, 
with  municipal  subsidy 
(1892). 

Municipal  (1895V 

Municipal    (1896). 


'These  figures  can  onty  be  taken  as  a  very  rough  indication  of  the  population 
actually  dealt  with  by  each  exchange. 

-1906  or  1906-7,  except  in  the  case  of  Frankfurt  (1905-6).  Later  figures  of 
situation  filled  can  now  be  given  for  some  of  the  exchanges,  \\z. : 

Males.       Females.       Total. 

Stuttgart    (1907)    

Munich  (1907)    

Strassburg   (1907-8)    

Nurnburg  (1907)    


39.201 

23.717 

27.i.=^n 

3.307 

5.175 

62.918 

33.602 

60.752 

1:^.772 

17.079 

10.874 

16.049 

216 

In  1906  the  Labor  Olt'ice  at  Munich,  which  has  a  population  of  about  600,000,  found 
positions  for  53,673,  classitied  as  follows : 

Males. 

Unskilled    11,978,  or  40.4  per  cent,  of  all  males'  situations 

Skilled   (industrial)    1 1,346,  or  38.3  per  cent,  of  all  males'  situations 

Agriculture    and    forestry 3,947,  or  13.3  per  cent,  of  all  males'  situations 

Apprentices    1,^47,  or    6.6  per  cent,  of  all  males'  situations 

Hotel  ami  restaurant  service 426,  or    1.4  per  cent,  of  all  males' situations 

Commercial     14,  or    0.0  per  cent,  of  all  males'  situations 


29,658 


Hotel  and  restaurant  service. 

Domestic  service  

Unskilled   

Skilled   (industrial)    

Agriculture    

Apprentices    


l*'emales. 

7,738,  or  Zl.l  per  cent,  of  all  females 
7,077,  or  29.5  per  cent,  of  allfemales 
6,587,  or  27.4  per  cent,  of  all  females 
1,868,  or  7.8  per  cent,  of  all  females 
489,  or  2.0  per  cent,  of  all  females 
229,  or    1. 0  per  cent,  of  all  females 


'  situations 
'  situations 
'  situations 
'  situations 
'  situations 
'  situations 


24,015 


Positions  were  found  for  9,359  (7,594  males  and  1,765  females),  outside  of  Munich, 
including  291  in  Germany  outside  of  Bavaria,  and  63  in  foreign  countries.  The  number 
of  persons  brought  into  Munich  is  considerably  smaller.  Work  people  sent  to  places 
more  than  25  km.  (15  miles)  distant  are  allowed  on  presentation  of  a  certificate  from 
the  exchange  to  travel  on  the  State  railways  at  half  price,  and  in  1906  4,438  such  cer- 
tificates were  issued.    The  whole  cost  of  the  Labor  Exchange  is  borne  by  the  city. 

The  Berlin  Labor  Exchange  is  the  largest  single  institution  of  its  kind,  filling  in  a 
recent  year  about  100.000  positions,  30,324  of  which  were  in  the  general  labor  section. 
It  is  a  voluntary,  not  a  municipal  institution,  although  it  receives  an  appropriation  of 
about  $15,000  a  year  from  the  city,  and  ultimate  control  and  financial  responsibility  are 
vested  in  a  voluntary  association  of  subscribers.  Applicants  are  charged  on  registra- 
tion a  fee  of  5  cents,  for  which  they  get  a  certificate  admitting  them  to  the  waiting 
rooms  of  the  exchange  for  three  months,  or  until  they  get  a  position.  These  fees 
yielded  in  1906  $4,120. 

In  Freiburg  the  number  of  situations  annually  filled  is  1  in  4.2  of  the  population, 
in  Stuttgart  1  in  every  4.4,  and  in  Mannheim  1  in  every  8.2. 

The  following  table  shows  for  1906  for  the  principal  German  exchanges  the 
number  of  situations  filled,  percentage  filled  of  situations  offered  and  percentage  placed 
of  applications. 

A.     Males,  1906. 


Berlin  

Stuttgart  . 
Munich  .  .  . 
Frankfurt  . 
Cologne  .  .  . 
Dusseldorf 
Freiburg  .  . 
Strassburg 
Nurnberg    . 


Percentage 

Filledof 

Percentage 

Situations 

Situations 

Placed  of 

Filled. 

OfYered. 

Applications 

84,375 

76.9 

37,893 

84.1 

72.5 

29,658 

86.3 

83.1 

22.285 

82.8 

42.5 

21.805 

95.3 

60.7 

25.862 

94.0 

68.9 

11.268 

74.3 

50.1 

12.171 

64.0 

53.4 

9.878 

82.9 

95.4 

217 


. B.    Females,  1906. 

Percentage 
Filled  of      Percentage 
Situations        Situations       Placed  of 
Filled.  OtTered.     Applications. 

BerUn 15,182  61.3 

Stuttgart  18,427  68.1  92.0 

Munich 24.015  63.7  74.1 

Frankfurt  15,701  74.4  82.5 

Cologne  7,359  66.0  93.8 

Dusseldorf   2,844  12.Z  71 A 

Freiburg    6,433  67.4  72.4 

Strassburg    3,293  51.3  48.2 

Nurnberg 4.940 61^. 2 95 .2 

Owing  to  differences  in  the  methods  of  registration,  the  figures  in  these  columns 
do  not  justify  any  comparison  between  one  exchange  and  another;  they  can  only  be 
used  to  compare  the  activities  of  the  same  exchange  in  different  years.  The  Cologne 
and  Freiburg  reports  refer  to  persons  applying  ( Arbeitsuchendej,  the  others  to  appli- 
cations made  (Arbeit  or  Stellen-gesuche),  but  do  not  all  construe  "application"  in  the 
same  way.  In  Munich,  at  least,  the  recorded  applications  by  no  means  represent  all 
the  actual  applications. 

Practically  all  the  important  labor  exchanges  in  Germany  have  committees  of  man- 
agement representing  employers  and  employed. 

In  1896  the  Trade  Union  Congress  condemned  the  impartial  public  labor  ex- 
changes ;  in  1899  it  adopted  a  resolution  that  "under  present  conditions  the  estab- 
lishment of  public  labor  exchanges  might  be  of  great  advantage  to  many  trades,"  and 
recommended  organized  labor  everywhere  to  take  its  part  in  the  management  of  these 
institutions. 

Attitude  of  Public  Labor  Exchanges  Tow.\rd  Labor  Differexces. 

The  attitude  to  be  adopted  by  public  labor  exchanges  in  matters  where  the  interests 
of  employers  and  employees  are  opposed  has  been  naturally  much  discussed.  Two 
questions  present  themselves. 

First — Shall  the  exchange  intervene  in  questions  and  conditions  of  labor  in  the 
sense  of  refusing  to  notify  situations  in  which  wages  and  conditions  do  not  conform 
to  the  "recognized,"  or  trade  union  standard?  The  answer  in  Germany  has  everywhere 
been  in  the  negative.  No  public  labor  exchange  regards  the  enforcement  of  any  par- 
ticular conditions  of  labor  as  within  its  functions.  Employer  and  workman  must  make 
their  own  bargain  ;  the  exchange  cannot  and  must  not  attempt  to  do  more  than  put 
them  into  communication.  The  utmost  that  may  be  done,  and  is  often  done  where  an 
employer  offers  an  exceptionally  low  wage,  is  to  call  his  attention  to  the  fact,  and  to 
the  small  likelihood  of  his  getting  a  man  at  that  price.  If,  however,  the  employer 
wishes  it,  the  exchange  is  bound  to  notify  the  vacancy  and  the  wages  offered.  Any 
man  willing  to  accept  the  offer  is  free  to  do  so.  This  principle  appears  to  have  been 
generally  accepted  as  self-evident  by  everybody  concerned — by  trade  unionists  as  much 
as  others.  Around  a  second  question — as  to  the  attitude  of  the  public  exchanges  in 
times  of  open  dispute  between  the  two  parties — much  controversy  has  raged.  Shall 
men  be  supplied  through  these  agencies  to  take  the  places  of  others  on  strike  or  locked 
out?  To  supply  the  men  is  apparently  to  take  the  side  of  the  employers  against  the 
employees ;  to  refuse  to  supply  them  is  apparently  to  take  that  of  the  employees 
against  the  employers.  In  this  dilemma  four  principal  alternatives  have  been  adopted 
by  different  exchanges : 

1.  To  ignore  disputes  altogether,  i.  e.,  to  send  workmen  to  a  vacancy  due  to  a  dis- 
pute in  exactly  the  same  way  as  to  any  other  (Nurnberg,  Berlin  till  1905). 

2.  To  register  vacancies  created  by  a  dispute  and  to  notify  them  to  applicants  for 
work,  but  in  doing  so  to  give  formal  notice  of  the  dispute  to  the  individual  applicants 
(Berlin  since  1905,  Cologne  since  1904.  Dusseldorf.  Frankfurt),  and  also  by  placards 
placed  in  the  exchange  premises  (Munich  since  1898.  Stuttgart  since  1901,  Strassburg). 

3.  To  suspend  operations  within  the  range  of  the  dispute  during  its  continuance 
(Cologne  till  1905.  Barmen). 

4.  To  make  action  in  each  case  depend  upon  the  meeting  and  decision  of  the  In- 
dustrial Court  sitting  as  an  arbitration  tribunal  (Munich  till  1898,  Leipzig). 

There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  second  of  these  alternatives  hns  most  anproved 
itself  in  practice.    It  has  been  adopted  in  three  leading  cases — Berlin,  Cologne,  Munich — 


218 

after  trial  of  one  or  other  of  the  ahernatives.  By  1907  the  establishment  or  exclusive 
use  of  such  an  exchange  has  come  to  be  a  common  demand  of  the  workmen  in  collec- 
tive bargains  or  even  the  object  of  a  strike. 

The  remarkable  conversion  from  former  hostility  to  strong  practical  support  is  to 
be  attributed  to  the  following  amongst  other  reasons  : 

1.  Experience  of  the  value  of  successful  exchanges  in  shortening  for  the  indi- 
vidual workmen  the  average  period  between  one  job  and  the  next,  and  thus  for  the 
union  the  period  of  unemployed  pay. 

2.  The  failure  of  purely  trade  union  exchanges  to  secure  general  use  by  employers, 
except  in  a  few  trades  in  which  the  men  were  already  completely  organized. 

3.  The  establishment  by  employers  of  their  own  exchanges  in  definite  opposition 
to  trade  unionism.  A  public  (impartial)  exchange  is  at  any  rate  better  from  the  work- 
men's point  of  view  than  an  exchange  managed  deliberately  with  the  object  of  main- 
taining a  large  reserve  of  labor  or  of  blacklisting  individual  "agitators." 

The  support  given  to  public  labor  exchanges  is  not,  indeed,  uniform.  The  printing 
trade  has  throughout  Germany  its  own  independent  organization,  maintained  by  joint 
agreement  of  employers  and  employees.  A  very  large  number  of  trade  union  registries 
maintain  a  shadowy  existence,  and  some  few  a  real  vigor.  This,  however,  is  due  mainly 
to  sectional  feeling  and  conservatism;  opposition  on  principle  has  practically  died 
away. 

Suggestions  Made  by  Mr.  Percy  Aldcn,  M.  P.,  for  Dealing  with   Unemployment. 

(1)  The  Appointment  of  a  Minister  of  Commerce  and  Industry,  and  the  Estab- 
lishment of  a  Government  Department  to  Deal  Especially  with  the  Question  of  Un- 
employment— If  this  is  a  national  question,  a  special  Minister  at  the  head  of  a  special 
department  should  have  the  responsibility  placed  upon  him  of  dealing  with  it.  The 
partial  reorganization  of  existing  departments  dealing  with  labor  is  a  necessary 
preliminary. 

(2)  Compulsory  Labor  Bureaus — These  bureaus  in  telephonic  communication 
should  be  established  in  every  district  as  in  Germany,  and  should  not  be  confined  to 
municipal  boroughs.  They  would  supply  the  central  department  with  all  the  facts 
and  figures  for  each  locality,  and  help  to  devise  schemes  for  relief  of  distress  by 
want  of  employment  in  that  locality.  They  should  do  more  than  register  the  names 
and  addresses  of  the  unemployed.  Careful  investigation  should  be  made  in  each 
case,  to  be  followed  by  classification ;  employers  should  be  interviewed ;  work  should 
be  found  or  suggested ;  railway  fares  should  be  paid  to  districts  where  work  was  more 
plentiful  and  advice  given  as  to  relief  stations,  labor  homes,  etc. 

(3)  Relief  Stations  and  Labor  Homes — The  casual  ward  should  be  abolished 
and  scattered  throughout  the  coimtry,  within  walking  distance  of  one  day;  should  be 
relief  stations  and  labor  homes  where  the  unemployed  in  return  for  a  few  hours' 
work  can  be  boarded  and  lodged  for  one  or  two  nights  while  a  search  is  made  for 
employment.  There  should  be  a  labor  registry  in  connection  with  each  relief  station 
and  the  stations  and  the  labor  bureau  should  "be  in  telephonic  communication,  so  that 
the  impostor  and  the  idle  vagrant  may  be  easily  discovered. 

(4)  A  Graded  System  of  Farm  and  Labor  Colonies — including  the  following 
types : 

(a)  A  Farm  Colony  for  Married  and  Unmarried  Agricultural  Laborers  or  Men 
Accustomed  to  Work  on  the  Land  Who  Have  Migrated  to  the  Town  and  are  Willing 
to  Return  to  the  Country — The  difficulties  of  repatriating  the  agricultural  laborer  are 
not  insuperable,  and  the  establishment  of  a  colony  removes  most  of  them.  There 
should  be  a  time  of  probation  as  in  Frederiksnord.  in  Holland.  If  this  period  is  success- 
fully passed  and  the  colonist  has  proved  himself  to  be  industrious  and  efficient,  a 
free  farm  or  small  holding  should  be  granted  to  him  at  a  moderate  rent,  with  security 
of  tenure  so  long  as  the  tenant  proves  himself  to  be  able  and  willing  to  treat  the  land 
fairly.  Loans  of  money  for  stock,  seeds,  etc.,  might  be  obtained  through  a  local 
agricultural  bank  started  by  the  colonv  for  this  purpose  on  the  Raiffeisen  principle. 
The  free  farmers  should  be  organized  and  taught  to  work  co-operatively  as  on  the 
small  holdings  in  Lincolnshire  and  Norfolk.  If  cottages  for  the  married  men  are  to 
be  cheaply  built,  the  by-laws  might  have  to  be  relaxed,  and  in  any  case  the  Government, 
through  the  county  council,  should  assist  in  the  matter  of  cheap  loans  for  housing 
purposes. 

(b)  A  Farm  Colony  for  Town-Bred  Men.  Controlled  by  a  Large  Municipality 
or  a  Group  of  Small  Towns,  or  a  Representative  Committee  Governing  a  Fairly  Wide 
Area — These  colonies  would  be  for  third  and  fourth  rate  mechanics  chiefly,  crushed 
out  by  severe  competition,  or  for  unskilled  laborers  of  good  character,  who  feel  their 
inability  to  earn  a  permanent  livelihood  in  the  town.     Changes  in  methods  of  industry 


219 

and  severe  industrial  depression  will  account  for  the  process  of  deterioration  con- 
stantly going  on  in  this  class.  Some  ot  them  may  have  worked  on  allotments  near 
the  town;  but  the  majority  would  have  to  be  taught  the  rudiments  of  agriculture. 
The  colony  should,  therefore,  be  an  agricultural  training  school,  so  that  after  a  period 
of  probation  men  may  be  passed  un  to  colony  A. 

(c)  A  Colony  bomewhat  of  the  German  Type,  Including  the  Criminal  Element 
and  Men  of  Bad  Character — The  colonists  would  consist,  in  the  main,  of  men  of  the 
low  grade,  unskilled,  broken  down  through  misfortune,  the  hopeless  and  weak-willed 
men  below  par,  unable  to  hold  their  own  in  the  severe  competition  of  the  town.  In 
connection  with  this  colony,  the  labor  would  be  simpler,  confined  almost  entirely  to 
the  more  elementary  work  of  market  gardening,  the  improvement  of  land,  the  making 
of  roads,  the  trenching  of  land,  and  a  few  simple  indoor  trades,  like  basket-work, 
brush-making  and  mat-making.  Such  men  are  frequently  found  to  improve  both  in 
body  and  mind  under  the  healthy  conditions  of  colony  life.  The  best  of  them  would 
again  be  passed  on  to  colony  B. 

(d)  Poor  Law  Farms  for  Epileptics,  Inebriates  and  the  Physically  Defective — 
The  various  classes  of  inmates  should  be  kept  separate,  and  it  would  be  as  well  to 
classify  in  each  section.  The  treatment  should  be  scientific  and  medical,  for  example, 
the  percentage  of  cures  in  the  cases  of  epilepsy  is  much  greater  where  sufficient  pains 
in  the  first  place  have  been  taken  to  trace  the  causes  of  the  disease.  At  Bielfeld  and 
W  ilhelmsdorf  much  more  care  is  now  being  exercised  in  this  matter.  For  inebriates 
there  are  well-known  methods  of  medical  treatment  which  considerably  shorten  the 
time  during  which  it  is  necessary  to  stay  on  a  farm  colony. 

(e )  Poor  Law  Colonies  Compulsory  for  the  Vagrant  and  the  Wastrel — The 
example  of  the  Belgian  colonies  must  not  be  too  closely  followed.  Every  effort  should 
be  made  to  reform  the  vagabond,  so  that,  while  compelled  to  work,  he  may  feel  that  a 
door  of  escape  into  a  higher  colony  is  still  left  open  if  only  he  chooses  to  avail 
himself  of  it.  Many  of  our  idle  "ne'er-do-wells"  are  men  who  have  sunk  to  this  low 
level  not  altogether  as  a  result  of  their  own  evil  habits,  but  partly  by  reason  of  the 
fact  that  lack  of  work  has  caused  them  to  become  demoralized  and  degraded.  A 
certain  percentage  even  of  these  men  might  be  reformed  if  properly  treated,  just  as 
the  young  criminal  is  reclaimed  by  the  Borstal  system  in  England,  or  by  the  Elmira 
system  in  the  United  States.  Men  who  are  at  present  in  a  Poor  Law  farm,  like  that 
of  Poplar,  able-bodieH  inmates  of  the  workhouse,  now  willing  and  ready  to  do  a 
good  day's  work,  would  naturally  be  handed  on  to  a  higher  type  of  colony. 

(5)  Unemployment  Committees  or  Councils — These  committees  or  councils  with 
spending  power  conferred  by  legislation  and  dealing  with  the  unemployed  question 
over  wide  areas  should  consist  of  representatives  of  existing  bodies  somewhat  on 
Mr.  Walter  Long's  plan,  with  power  to  call  to  their  aid  the  trades  and  union  leaders. 
They  should  have  full  authority  to  deal  with  the  whole  problem  and  to  co-ordinate 
the  various  agencies  throughout  their  districts.  The  cost  should  be  borne  partly  by 
the  local  authorities  concerned,  and  partly  by  the  Imperial  Government.  Under  the 
control  of  these  unemployment  committees  would  be  all  local  relief  work,  relief 
stations  and  labor  homes  throughout  the  area,  together  with  a  central  bureau  and  one 
or  more  labor  colonies  on  the  lines  already  indicated. 

(6)  The  Reclamation  of  Foreshores  and  Waste  Land,  the  Building  of  Sea-walls, 
etc.,  by  the  Government  Department,  on  the  Lines  of  the  Experiments  Made  by  the 
Dutch  Government — The  great  advantage  of  this  work  is  that  much  of  it  can  be  left 
for  periods  of  depressed  trade,  when  the  unemployed  of  the  large  towns  can  be  drafted 
out  for  periods  of  one  or  two  months  at  a  time. 

(7)  The  Apportionment  of  the  Wasted  Land  by  the  Government — A  beginning 
should  be  made  with  crown  lands  suitable  for  this  purpose,  thus  creating  a  new  and 
profitable  industry.  There  are  over  ten  million  acres  of  waste  lands  in  the  United 
Kingdom    suitable   for   afforestation   purposes. 

C8)  The  Improvement  of  Canals  and  Inland  Waterways — To  be  purchased  by 
the  Government  at  the  present  valuation. 

(9)  The  Reorganization  of  the  Port  of  London,  Carrying  Out  the  Recommenda- 
tions of  the  Royal  Commission  with  a  View  tn — 

(a)     The  improvement  of  the  port  and  river. 

(h)     The  reclamation  of  the  river  foreshores  and 

(c)     The  abolition  so  far  as  possible  of  casual  labor  in  the  docks. 

(10)  Government  Grants  to  Trades  Union  Unemployed  Insurance,  with  a  view  to 
the  encouragement  of  this  form  of  self-help  amongst  all  grades  of  skilled  labor.  The 
subsidies  should  be  proportionate  to  the  contributions  of  the  trades  unions. 

(11)  A  Shorter  Working  Day  for  All  Government  and  Municipal  Employees — 
This  should  especially  be  the  case  with  regard  to  those  who  are  employed  in  the  work 


220 

of  transport  and  locomotion,  where  foreign  competition  can  play  only  a  very  small 
part.  It  has  been  pointed  out  that  in  the  case  of  the  London  County  Council  tram- 
ways, shorter  hours  in  conjunction  with  proper  management  have  resulted  in  increased 
profits. 

(12)  Until  some,  at  least,  of  these  recommendations  are  carried  out,  disfranchise- 
ment as  a  result  of  receiving  Poor  Law  relief  should  be  abolished.  At  present  only 
the  industrious  poor  are  so  disqualified,  for  the  remainder,  as  a  rule,  have  no  fixed 
■domicile. 

In  addition  to  these  direct  methods  of  dealing  with  the  problem  of  unemployment 
we  must  never  forget  that  the  solution  of  the  question  depends,  in  the  long  run,  not 
so  much  on  the  immediate  palliatives  which  we  may  be  able  to  suggest  as  upon  such 
reconstruction  and  reorganization  of  society  as  will  give  prominence  to  the  ethical  and 
the  co-operative  rather  than  the  competitive  factors  in  our  national  Hfe.  While  every 
eflfort  is  made  to  improve  and  strengthen  individual  character  and  to  encourage  the 
formation  of  such  habits  as  will  help  to  obviate  many  of  the  social  ills  we  deplore. 
■we  must  not  forget  the  tendency  of  conditions  and  environment  to  create  those  evils. 

REPORT  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON  CHARI- 
TIES OF  THE  NEW  YORK  CITY  COMMISSION  ON  CONGESTION  OF 
POPULATION,  PREPARED  BY  ALDERMAN  STEPHEN  CALLAGHAN, 
CHAIRMAN. 

After  careful  consideration  of  the  causes  of  poverty  in  New  York  City,  the  Com- 
mittee have  come  to  the  following  conclusions : 

First.  That  causes  of  poverty,  such  as  unemployment,  accident,  bad  housing  or 
underemployment,  low  wages,  overcrowding,  sickness,  widowhood,  lack  of  male 
support,  inefficiency  or  lack  of  training,  drunkenness  or  laziness  and  pre-eminently 
the  high  cost  of  land  and  high  rents  due  to  land  speculation  and  unjust  methods  of 
taxation,  are  not  in  any  way  removed  or  even  materially  improved,  but  rather  aggra- 
vated by  the  present  methods  of  both  public  and  private  charity  in   New  York   City. 

Public  charity  officials  admit  that  they  do  not  attempt  to  ascertain  the  causes 
which  bring  the  patients  to  Bellevue  or  other  public  institutions,  but  merely  take  them 
as  they  come,  and  do  the  best  possible  for  them  when  they  make  application,  with 
the  exception,  of  course,  that  they  do  not  assist  those  who  have  not  a  legal  right  or 
claim  to  public  charity.  It  is  manifestly  impossible  for  them  to  do  this  careful 
investigation  unless  they  have  larger  appropriations  for  this  specific  purpose. 

It  i=  not  the  function  of  this  Committee,  it  understands,  to  discuss  or  pass  upon 
the  efficiency  of  administration  of  any  city  or  state  charitable  institution,  since  there 
are  now  municipal  administrative  committees  charged  with  this  duty,  but  merely  to 
indicate  to  what  extent  the  institutions  are  made  necessary  by  congestion  of  popula- 
tion and  room  overcrowding  and  what  effect  they  have  upon  perpetuating  congestion 
and  room  overcrowding  or  really  relieving  these  conditions. 

It  is  inevitable  that  with  the  multiplicity  of  private  charities  in  the  City  responsi- 
ble to  no  one  and  dependent  for  adequate  support  upon  the  showing  they  make  of 
persons  relieved,  visits  paid.  etc..  that  there  should  be  both  duplication  and  waste. 

The  City  has  not  at  present  any  outdoor  relief — that  is.  relief  to  the  poor  in  their 
homes,  with  the  exception  of  pensions  to  the  blind,  this  municipal  function  having 
been  assumed  bv  private  charitable  societies  with  an  enormous  influence  in  the  State 
Legislature  on  the  plea  that  they  could  administer  this  relief  to  the  poor  of  the  City 
more  economically,  more  efficiently  and  with  better  net  results  to  the  City  as  a  whole, 
and  thpt  the  City  cannot  be  trusted  to  give  public  outdoor  relief  because  there  would 
be  "politics"  in   it. 

The  Committee  finds,  however,  the  following  fact?  with  respect  to  outdoor  relief. 
i.  e..  relief  to  the  poor  in  their  homes  by  private  charities: 

CI )  Over  150.000  persons,  it  is  known,  receive  outdoor  relief  and  a  larger  mmiber. 
counting  in  the  beneficiaries  of  churches  and  small  charities,  probably  at  least  500.0CO 
persons,  receive  some  relief  annually  in  New  York  City,  at  least  one  in  every  nine 
persons  in  the  Citv. 

(2)  Much  of  the  relief  given  by  these  societies  is  given  to  people  living  in  con- 
gested districts  with  very  high  land  values  where  they  cannot  possibly  afford  a  proper 
standard  of  living  on  the  usual  wages  for  unskilled  workers. 

(3)  Relief  is  being  given  by  certain  charities  in  the  City  to  people  living 
in  such  unhealthy  rooms  and  apartments  that  the  Department  of  Health  refused 
to  grant  a  license  for  home  manufacture,  which  indicates  that  the  rooms  M'ere  in  very 
bad  condition. 

(4)  Relief  is  given  by  private  societies  to  families  in  tenements  where  manu- 
facture   is   constantly   going  on. 


221 

(5)  That  altliough  private  charities  claimed  a  few  years  ago  when  they  opposed 
pubHc  outdoor  relief,  that  they  could  meet  the  needs  of  the  community  for  such  relief, 
they  are  manifestly  unable  to  meet  these  needs,  if  a  decent  standard  is  maintained 
among  the  wage-earners  of  the  city.  Honest  and  self-respecting  citizens  hesitate  to 
apply  to  any  society  for  relief,  and  the  relief  given  by  some  of  the  large  societies  is 
inadequate  to  maintain  a  family  and  is  not  continued  for  a  sufficiently  long  time,  as 
admitted  by  some  of  the  large  societies.  More  money  is  given  by  societies  in  time  of 
unemployment  and  in  dull  trade  seasons. 

(6)  That  a  large  part  of  the  money  gfvtn  by  private  charity  is  wasted  or  un- 
necessary because  it  is  given  to  make  amends  or  to  counteract  the  results  of  bad 
housing  conditions  and  unsafe  or  underpaid  employment.  The  financial  agent  (at  that 
time)  of  one  of  the  oldest  charities  in  Manhattan  stated  before  the  Committee  that, 
"between  one-half  and  two-thirds  of  the  money  spent  on  charity  in  the  city  is  wasted 
or  unnecessary."  • 

The  evidence  presented  by  experts  in  charitable  work  and  by  a  study  of  actual 
records  shows  that  the  public  and  private  charity  of  the  city  is  at  best  an  ineffective 
and  costly  method  of  attempting  to  make  atonement  for  bad  housing  conditions,  low 
wages,  and  the  evident  desire  of  certain  manufacturers  in  New  York  City  to  keep 
within  walking  distance  of  their  factories  a  surplus  of  unskilled  workers.  They  well 
know  that  starvation  knows  no  minimum  wage,  and  that  the  hordes  of  immigrants  who 
come  to  this  city  looking  for  employment  will  for  some  time  continue  to  work  for 
these  starvation  wages. 

The  continuance  of  private  or  public  charity  to  these  classes  of  unfortunates  means 
that  the  land  speculator,  the  tenement  sweater  and  the  exploiting  manufacturer  put 
upon  the  respectable  and  hard  working  citizens  of  New  York  City  the  burden  of  caring 
for  the  victims  of  their  injustice  and  this  means  a  very  large  share  of  the  $15,000,000 
which  the  City  and  state  spend  in  New  York  City.  As  for  private  charity's  expendi- 
tures of  about  $20,000,000  annually,  this  represents  a  premium  put  upon  these  private 
charities  by  these  same  three  classes  of  exploiters  of  New  York's  wage  earners,  in 
so  far  as  their  exploitation  creates  the  need  for  this  expenditure. 

Third.  So  long  as  the  present  causes  of  poverty  and  sickness  continue  the  cost 
to  the  public  and  private  charity  of  the  City  will  not  only  continue  but  necessarily 
increase.  Even  with  the  enormous  expenditures  today  by  the  City  and  by  the  hun- 
dreds of  private  charitable  societies  but  a  small  part  of  the  money  required  to  counter- 
act  the   results  of   the   death-dealing   conditions   in   the   City   is   really   spent. 

New  York  has  never  yet  estimated  what  it  would  cost  to  do  two  things  which  it 
should  long  since  have  undertaken. 

To  care  through  public  funds  for  all  the  widows  with  children  who  are  compe- 
tent to  care  for  their  children  in  their  own  healthy  homes. 

To  eradicate  consumption  as  far  as  it  exists  to-day.  It  must  in  fairness  be  stated 
that  so  long  as  the  occupancy  of  rooms  now  legally  permitted  to  be  occupied  con- 
tinues, we  shall  continue  to  have  about  28,000  new  cases  of  consumption  and  10,000 
deaths  from  consumption  every  year,  but  the  city  is  under  solemn  obligations  to  spend 
any  amount  needed  to  restore  to  health  the  lives  of  the  citizens  now  being  murdered 
with  the  City's  connivance  in  the  tenements  of  the  City  and  as  well  to  care  for  the 
families  of  these  victims,  and  while  this  may  be  done  under  the  Department  of  Public 
Charities,  it  must  not  be  regarded  as  a  charity,  but  rather  as  a  solemn  obligation  the 
City  owes  to  the  families  of  those  slaughtered  in  process  of  creating  land  values  in 
the  imperial  City. 

The  cost  of  carmg  adequately  for  the  present  cases  of  consumption  will  be  ap- 
proximately $8,000,000  for  the  first  year,  $5,000,000  for  the  second  and  lesser  amounts 
each  .succeeding  year. 

Recommendations  of  the  Committee. 
The  Committee  beg  to  make  the  following  recommendations  :^ 
(I)  All  private  charities  in  the  City,  whether  directly  receiving  subsidy  from 
the  City  or  not,  but  who  occupy  land  or  buildings  exempt  from  taxation  should  be 
under  the  same  supervision  of  the  Department  of  Finance  as  those  directly  receiv- 
ing per  diem  appropriations  from  the  City  are  now  under  supervision  by  the  State 
Board  of  Charities.  As  has  already  been  pointed  out  mo.st  of  these  charities  receive 
valuable  appropriation  from  the  City  in  the  form  of  exemption  frorn  taxation,  which 
amounts  to  approximately  one-sixtieth  at  present  of  the  total  valuation  of  their  land 
and  improvements,  and  in  some  cases  amounts  to  as  much  as  several  thousand  dollars 
a  year. 

In  addition,  the  policy  of  many  private  societies  is  to  give  relief  without  much, 
and  often  without  any  realization  of,  the  results  of  the  charity.  If  immigrants  become  a 
charge  on  public  charities  within  three  years  of  their  arrival  they  become  liable  to  de- 


222 

portation  under  the  Immigration  Law ;  they  may,  however,  apply  with  impunity  to 
private  charities  and  receive  sufficient  aid  to  enable  them  to  maintain  a  proper  standard 
of  living,  and  then  as  soon  as  the  three  years  expire  they  are  eligible  to  assistance 
from  the  public  charities  of  the  City  or  State.  On  the  other  hand,  the  giving  of  private 
charity  to  people  in  congested  districts  is  most  expensive  to  the  City.  In  the  long  run 
the  City  or  State  must  take  care  of  the  poor  of  any  community,  if  private  charities 
find  that  families  applying  for  relief  do  not  live  properly  or  exert  themselves  ade- 
quately, they  withhold  or  refuse  relief,  and  this  is  the  most  that  they  can  do  to  secure 
normal  conditions  in  the  family.  With  ^ich  a  wealth  of  charities  in  the  City  to  turn 
to,  however,  the  family  that  has  even  one  member  not  feeble-minded  can  readily  secure 
assistance.  The  city  is  ultimately  responsible  for  the  living  or  death  of  its  citizens,  and 
however  zealous  and  scientific  private  charities  may  be  they  should  not  be  permitted  to 
assume  the  functions  of  government  without  governmental  supervision  at  least.  The 
present  tendency  of  private  charities  is  to  give  relief  to  those  who  apparently  need  it 
most  and  they  unquestionably  tend  to  hold  in  New  York  City  many  people  who  might 
otherwise  take  work  outside  of  the  City,  even  in  those  cities  and  districts  without 
the  multitudinous  charities  of  New  York.  The  City,  as  ultimate  sponsor  for  citizens, 
should  regulate  and  .supervise  the  work  of  private  charities  for  citizens. 

At  present  there  is  no  such  supervision  of  the  hundreds  of  smaller  charities,  ex- 
cept a  Bureau  of  Advice  and  Information  in  the  Charity  Organization  Society,  which 
reports  upon  the  fitness  of  societies  or  organizations  applying  to  the  public  for  support. 

It  is  an  interesting  illustration  of  the  assumption  by  private  charities  of  the  regu- 
lative function  of  government,  but  indefensible  on  either  practical  or  theoretical 
grounds.  Strong  charities  such  as  the  Charity  Organization  Society  and  presumably 
others  should  welcome  City  supervision  over  private  charities. 

(2)  More  careful  supervision  should  be  made  between  classes  of  applicants 
for  public  charity;  that  is,  a  distinction  should  be  drawn  upon  the  basis  of  previous 
effort  and  conduct  between  those  who  apply  for  public  relief.  Those  who  have 
been  hard  working  and  thrifty  and  who  are  in  want  through  conditions  entirely  be- 
yond their  control  such  as  loss  of  health  through  unsanitary  housing  or  labor  condi- 
tions or  through  the  death  or  sickness  or  injury  of  the  wage  earner  should  not  be 
treated  as  paupers  in  any  sense  of  the  word.  They  are  entitled  to  relief  just  as  much 
as  veterans  of  a  war.  On  the  other  hand  those  who  have  been  shiftless  and  improvi- 
dent or  have  been  addicted  to  the  excessive  use  of  drink  or  to  other  excesses  should 
be  treated  on  an  entirely  different  basis. 

Any  assistance  given  to  the  former  class  should  be  regarded  as  relief  due  them  by 
the  City;  any  assistance  given  to  the  latter  class  should  be  regarded  as  charity  and 
the  taking  thereof  should  involve  a  stigma  upon  the  recipient.  To  a  certain  extent 
this  distinction  is  already  made  by  the  Department  of  Public  Charities.  The  agents  of 
many  of  the  large  charitable  societies  frequently  stated  before  your  Committee  that 
their  societies  are  unable  to  meet  the  demands  upon  them,  and  that  they  are  unable 
to  give  adequate  relief  to  the  families  regarded  as  under  their  care  or  to  continue  that 
relief  for  a  sufficient  length  of  time. 

(3)  Private  charities  having  shown  definitely  that  they  cannot  provide  the 
assistance  which  is  needed  by  the  poor  of  New  York  City,  it  is  evident  that  recourse 
must  be  had  to  public  outdoor  relief;  that  is,  to  relief  by  the  City  to  the  families  whose 
chief  wage  earner  is  unable  to  provide  for  them  in  their  own  homes  outside  of  con- 
gested districts.  In  this  way  the  City  can  prevent  much  of  the  sickness  and  resultant 
expense  to  the  taxpayers,  due  to  the  under-nourishment  of  families  and,  at  the  same 
time,  encourage  the  distribution  of  families.  Your  committee  appreciate  that  there 
are  some  dangers  in  this  policy  of  improving  the  condition  of  the  poor,  which  we  dis- 
cuss, but  believe  that  these  dangers  are  not  anv  more  serious  than  are  those  of  relief 
by  private  charities. 

Dangers  of  Public  Outdoor  Relief. 

(a)  The  relief  may  practically  result  in  a  lowering  of  wages  since  the  employer 
may  feel  that  as  the  City  will  look  after  his  workers  if  he  doesn't  pay  them  sufficient 
wages,  he  may,  therefore,  with  impunity,  continuously  underpay  them.  This  danger 
inheres  equally  in  giving  relief  to  the  ooor  by  private  charities,  and  the  Committee  on 
Labor  and  Wages  of  this  Commission  have  already  suggested  a  corrective  to  such  pro- 
cedure on  the  part  of  the  employer  by  suggesting  the  creation  of  an  Industrial  Com- 
mission in  the  City,  whose  duties  it  shall  be  not  only  to  intervene  when  strikes  or  lock- 
outs are  threatened  but  as  well  constantly  to  investigate  labor  conditions  and  wages 
paid  in  the  City,  both  to  skilled  and  unskilled  wage  earners,  organized  and  unorgan- 
ized, and  to  endeavor,  by  persuasion,  and  where  necessary,  by  publicity,  to  secure  the 
payment  of  better  wages. 

(b)  "Politics"  will  interfere  with  the  giving  of  adequate  relief  to  families  who 
need  it,  and,  will  involve  waste  and  giving  of  large  sums  to  families  when  the  wage- 


223 

earning  voters  belong  to  the  party  in  power.  Undoubtedl}'  there  may  be  a  tendency 
to  utilize  the  expenditure  of  any  public  funds  to  further  political  ends  just  as  the  dis- 
tribution of  private  funds  by  private  societies  is  susceptible  of  being  used  for  the 
furthering  of   private   ends. 

In  the  judgment  of  the  Connnittec,  however,  any  such  improper  use  of  funds  can 
be  corrected  by  proper  publicity. 

(c)  The  net  result  of  the  City's  giving  relief  to  the  poor  in  their  homes  will  be 
to  give  this  charity  to  the  landowner  and  tenement  sweater  since  it  anchors  people  in 
congested  districts.  In  so  far  as  relief  is  given  to  people  in  congested  districts  by  the 
City,  when  they  would  otherwise  move  to  sections  where  they  could  get  healthier  hous- 
ing at  lower  rents,  the  same  benefit  will  be  conferred  upon  landlord  and  tenement 
owner,  as  is  conferred  when  the  relief  is  given  to  those  in  these  places  by  the  private 
charities  of  the  City.  It  is  true  that  this  is  the  result  of  a  good  deal  of  private  charity 
and  that  the  ultimate  beneficiaries  of  so-called  charity,  a  difference  between  public  and 
private  charity  is,  that  the  giver  of  private  charity  has  no  control  whatsoever  over  the 
recipients  of  their  charity,  except  a  shadowy  moral  control  and  the  threat  to  withhold 
relief. 

It  is  only  government  that  can  determine  the  location  of  recipients  of  charity  and 
government  which  should  do  so. 

Private  charities  may  continue  their  care  of  families  as  long  as  they  have  funds 
to  do  this  and  then  drop  the  families,  but  the  City  is  responsible  in  the  long  run  for  the 
indigent  sick  and  infirm.  It  need  hardly  be  stated  that  the  City  should  not,  any  more 
than  should  private  charity,  give  any  relief  to  people  living  in  unsanitary  tenements 
in  congested  districts  or  to  those  who  are  dissipated.  As  has  already  been  stated 
a  distinction  should  be  made  in  relief  granted  to  various  classes  of  applicants.  Out- 
door Relief  should  be  dispensed  through  a  Board  of  Trustees  of  Public  Outdoor  Relief, 
appointed  by  the  Mayor,  analogous  to  the  trustees  of  Bellevue  and  Allied  Hospitals,  to 
be  provided  with  an  expert  administrator,  offices,  investigators  and  equipment. 

Although  the  Committee  have  not  found  that  all  the  witnesses  who  have  appeared 
before  them  have  agreed  with  them  on  this  proposition,  they  are  willing  to  accept  the 
conclusion  reached  by  the  Minority  of  the  English  Royal  Commission  on  the  Poor 
Laws  and  Relief  of  Distress.  This  conclusion  is  given  in  the  Minority  Report  (p. 
690)  :  "That  the  abolition  of  Outdoor  Relief  to  the  non-ablebodied  is,  in  our  judg- 
ment, wholly  impracticable,  and,  even  if  it  were  possible,  it  would  be  contrary  to  the 
public  interest.  There  are,  and  in  our  opinion  there  always  will  be,  a  large  number 
of  persons  to  whom  public  assistance  must  be  given,  who  can,  with  most  advantage  to 
the  community,  continue  to  live  at  home ;  for  instance,  widows  with  children  whose 
homes  deserve  to  be  maintained  intact,  sick  persons  for  whom  domiciliary  treatment 
is  professionally  recommended,  the  worthy  aged  having  relatives  with  whom  they  can 
reside,  and  such  of  the  permanently  incapacitated  (the  crippled,  the  blind,  etc.)  as 
can  safelv  be  left  with  their  friends.  Nor  can  the  community  rely  on  voluntary  char- 
ity providing  for  these  cases.  In  many  places  such  charity  does  not  exist,  and  in  many 
others  there  is  no  warrant  for  assuming  that  it  would  ever  be  adequate  to_  the  need. 
Moreover,  our  investigations  show  that  voluntary  charity,  in  so  far  as  it  exists  in  the 
forms  of  doles  and  allowances  to  persons  in  their  homes,  has  all  the  disastrous  char- 
acteristics of  a  laxly  administered  Poor  Law." 

It  should  be  noted  that  despite  the  fact  that  there  are  in  New  York  City  hun- 
dreds of  relief-giving  agencies,  that  there  are  practically  none  in  either  Queens  or 
Richmond,  while  their  efforts  have  been  concentrated  chiefly  in  the  congested  Borough 
of  Manhattan  and  the  congesting  sections  of  Brooklyn  and  The  Bronx. 

(4)  The  City  should  pay  pensions  to  widows  with  children  when  these  widows 
are  competent  to  care  for  their  children.  The  number  of  widows  with  several  chil- 
dren in  New  York  City  at  present  can  be  only  estimated,  but  the  methods  now  fol- 
lowed by  the  private  charities  and  the  City  alike  in  dealing  with  such  cases  is  entirely 
unsatisfactory.  Private  charities  admit  that  they  cannot  give  adequate  relief,  while  the 
City,  to  a  large  extent,  separates  the  family,  putting  the  children  in_  institutions  and 
letting  the  mother  earn  her  own  living,  when  the  total  cost  of  caring  for  three  or 
four  "children  in  institutions,  whether  public  institutions  or  private  institutions,  in 
receipt  of  per  diem  or  weekly  appropriations  from  the  City,  may  be  greater  than  the 
cost  of  caring  for  the  entire  family.  The  care  the  mother  can  give  the  children  is 
worth,  however,  a  larger  expenditure  by  the  City.  This  relief  should  also  be  admin- 
istered through  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Public  Outdoor  Relief,  but  widows  should 
be  required  to  live  in  districts  selected  by  this  Board  of  Trustees,  and  in  wards  with 
a  density  of  not  over  300  to  the  acre,  and  under  housing  conditions  approved  by  this 

'  Mr    Homer  Folks,  former  Commissioner  of  Public  Charities  of  New  York,  al- 
though questioning  the  feasibility  of  public  relief  to  the  poor  in  their  homes,  favored 


224 

before  the  Committee  the  granting  of  pensions  by  the  City  to  widows  with  children, 
.provided  the  mothers  meet  certain  standards  as  to  character.  He  emphasized,  how- 
ever, that  this  relief  should  not  be  regarded  in  any  sense  as  charity  to  the  widows, 
but  that  it  should  be  done  on  a  basis,  so  far  as  practical,  to  take  it  out  of  the  realm  of 
charity  and  approach  as  nearly  as  possible  to  an  indemnity  for  the  earning  capacity 
of  the  husband,  so  that  the  mother  may  be  enabled  to  bring  up  her  children  as  they 
would  have  been  brought  up  had  their  father  lived  and  worked  for  them. 

Former  Commissioner  of  Public  Charities,  Robert  W.  Hebberd,  stated  that  some 
private  charities  in  the  City  do  not  give,  as  a  rule,  more  than  $1  to  $1.50  a  week  to 
families,  which,  of  course,  is  not  enough  to  support  the  family  adequately,  so  that 
the  family  must  be  broken  up  and  the  children  placed  in  institutions.  He  strongly 
endorsed  the  City's  giving  pensions  to  good  widows  with  children. 

Mrs.  Mary  Kingsbury  Simkhovitch,  who  has  been  for  many  years  head  resident 
of  Greenwich  House  Settlement,  and  in  constant  touch  with  the  conditions  of  poor 
families  on  the  lower  East  side,  advocated  the  giving  of  pensions  to  such  widows 
with  children  as  the  only  humane  method  of  meeting  the  City's  responsibility  to  their 
families,  as  well  as  a  more  economical  method  of  caring  for  the  children. 

The  Minority  Report  of  the  Royal  Commission  on  the  Poor  Laws  and  Relief  of 
Distress  recommends :  "That  for  widows  or  other  mothers  in  distress  having  the  care 
of  young  children,  residing  in  homes  not  below  the  national  minimum  of  sanitation, 
and  being  themselves  not  adjudged  unworthy  to  have  children  entrusted  to  them,  there 
should  be  granted  adequate  home  aliment  on  condition  of  their  devoting  their  whole 
time  and  energy  to  the  care  of  the  children.  That  for  the  childless  wives  of  able- 
bodied  men  in  attendance  at  a  training  establishment,  adequate  home  aliment  be 
granted,  conditional  on  their  devoting  their  time  to  such  further  training  in  domestic 
economy  as  may  be  prescribed  for  them." 

(5)  The  City  should  adopt  a  policy  of  removing  charitable  institutions  from 
congested  districts  (except  emergency  hospitals  and  similar  institutions).  Mrs.  Flor- 
ence Kellcy  has  submitted  to  the  Committee  a  list  of  50  institutions  of  different  kinds 
located  in  congested  sections  of  New  York.  The  total  assessed  values  of  the  sites 
alone  of  six  of  these  institutions  in  1909  amounted  to  $4,026,000,  which  is,  of  course, 
tax  exempt,  while  the  total  appropriation  by  the  City  to  these  six  institutions  for  1910 
was  $945,487.66.  The  cost  to  the  City  and  the  wastefulness  of  permitting  such-  institu- 
tions to  occupy  costly  exempt  sites  is  very  serious,  but  even  more  serious  is  the  evil 
effect  upon  the  children  and  other  inmates  of  such  institutions. 

The  congestion  and  overcrowding  in  some  of  these  institutions,  the  Committee 
was  informed,  is  as  serious  as  exists  in  any  tenements  in  the  City. 

Commissioner  Folks,  who  is  recognized  throughout  the  world_  as  an  expert  in 
child  saving  and  child  caring  work,  stated  that  the  most  serious  evil  of  the  crowded 
conditions  in  institutions  for  children  is  the  fact  that  children  do  not  have  a  chance 
to  develop  the  affections  in  a  purely  normal  way,  and  it  is  impossible  to  reproduce  the 
kind  of  home  life  they  will  have  to  live  subsequently. 

Mrs.  Florence  Kelley  also  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  for  the  health  and  wel- 
fare of  public  charges  it  is  obviously  desirable  that  they  should  have  most  favorable 
surroundings,  which  they  cannot  have  in  the  crowded  parts  of  New  York  City.  By 
reason,  too,  of  the  unsuitable  location  of  certain  charitable  institutions  in  New  York, 
the  City's  charges  committed  to  them  cannot  be  employed  at  outdoor  occupations  such 
as  might  befit  tlieir  physical  and  moral  needs,  but  are  confined  to  the  work  of  the 
institutions  and  the  needle  trades  and  laundry  work.  These  latter  aro  two  of  the  most 
undesirable  occupations  for  which  women  and  girls  can  be  trained. 

Various  suggestions  have  been  made  as  to  the  best  methods  of  securing  the 
removal  of  the  scores  of  charitable  institutions  now  located  in  congested  districts  of 
the  City.  Commissioner  Hebberd  recommended  that  a  much  larger  per  capita  appro- 
priation be  given  to  institutions  that  are  organized  on  the  cottage  plan  in  the  country, 
so  that  this  in  itself  would  be  an  inducement  to  remove  their  institutions.  He  also 
advocated  the  City's  taking  an  active  policy  in  encouraging  the  removal  by  refusing  to 
give  them  appropriations  after  a  stated  time. 

Commissioner  Folks  also  stated  :  "It  is  essentially  the  right  thing  for  the  City  to 
use  its  influence  to  expedite  the  removal  of  such  institutions  to  the  country,  and  insist 
upon  its  being  done.  T  do  not  mean  by  any  harsh  methods  o^  through  coercion.  I 
would  begin  by  calling  on  them  for  a  statement  as  to  whether  thev  are  planning  to  go 
to  the  country  and  when  they  expect  to  go,  and  by  declaring  that  the  City  was  in  favor 
of  this  cottage  system,  and  urging  upon  these  institutions  to  adopt  it  and  that  within 
a  reasonable  time,  and  then  again  later  call  upon  them  for  a  report  of  progress,  and 
if  they  have  not  in  any  way  given  the  matter  attention  or  done  anything  further 
about  adopting  this  plan,  fix  a  time  limit  for  them  to  do  something  in." 

The    Committee    therefore    recommend    that    the    Comptroller    should     be    re- 


225 

quested  to  ascertain  from  the  management  of  everj'  charitable  institution,  except 
emergency  hospitals  in  Manhattan  and  lower  Bronx  and  the  western  half  of  Brooklyn, 
in  receipt  of  per  capita,  per  diem  or  weekly  appropriations  from  the  City  for  their 
inmates,  as  well  as  from  the  City  departments,  whether  they  plan  to  remove  from 
these  districts  to  cheaper  land,  either  in  the  outer  sections  of  the  City  or  in  the  City 
limits,  and  if  so,  when  they  plan  to  move,  and  that  they  should  be  notified  that  if  they 
have  not  taken  any  steps  to  move  their  institutions  prior  to  July  1,  1912,  that  they  will 
not  be  eligible  for  any  appropriation  from  the  City  for  the  year  1913.  They  feel  that 
this  action  is  justified,  inasmuch  as  the  assessed  land  values  of  charitable  institutions 
tax  exempt  in  congested  districts  in  the  City  amounts  to  approximately  $25,000,000. 
This  land  being  tax  exempt,  is  assessed  at  lower  values  than  it  would  be  if  improved  by 
buildings  for  commercial,  business  or  tenement  purposes;  moreover,  the  buildings 
themselves  are,  of  course,  tax  exempt,  and  it  is  most  conservative  to  estimate  that 
the  property  including  several  scores  of  acres  would,  if  improved  by  buildings  for 
commercial  and  business  purposes,  add  an  additional  taxable  value  to  the  City  of  ap- 
proximately $70,000,000.  This  amount,  it  must  be  remembered,  represents  approxi- 
mately one  one-hundredth  of  the  taxable  value  of  the  real  estate  in  New  York  City, 
including  land,  improvements,  real  estate  of  corporations  and  special  franchises.  At  a 
tax  rate  of  $1.80  per  hundred  on  the  assessed  value,  this  represents  a  total  annual  loss 
to  the  City  of  $1,260,000,  and  this  is  practically  a  net  loss,  since  the  total  values  of 
land  and  buildings  in  the  outlying  sections  of  the  City  would  be  a  relatively  small  ag- 
gregate as  compared  with  this  loss  to  the  City  of  the  tax  exemption  on  these  institu- 
tions in  the  central  part  of  New  York.  The  total  assessed  value  of  private  and  public 
charitable  institutions  in  Manhattan,  The  Bronx  and  the  western  and  north  central 
part  of  Brooklyn  in  1910  was  $68,523,050,  and  the  total  appropriations  made  to  chari- 
table institutions  through  the  Comptroller's  office  was  $4,734,252.26. 

While  it  does  not  come  directly  within  the  scope  of  the  Committee  on  Charities 
to  refer  even  to  the  labor  problem,  they  nevertheless  note  their  agreement  with  the 
Minority  Report  of  the  English  Royal  Commission  on  the  Poor  Laws  and  Relief  of 
Distress,  "that  no  effective  steps  can  be  taken  towards  the  'Decasualization  of  Casual 
Labor,'  and  the  Suppression  of  Unemployment,  without  simultaneously  taking  action 
to  ensure  the  immediate  absorption,  or  else  to  provide  the  full  and  honorable  main- 
tenance, at  the  public  expense,  of  the  surplus  of  laborers  that  will  thereby  stand 
revealed."  This  does  not  mepn  that  the  Committee  believe  that  the  City  or  the  State 
is  responsible  for  furnishing  work  to  the  workless  in  New  York  City,  nor  would  they 
make  this  the  Mecca  for  those  who  do  not  work  for  more  than  a  few  hours  a  day  or 
a  few  months  or  weeks  in  the  year.  They  recognize  fully  that  although  statistics 
have  not  been  prepared  showing  that  immigrants  as  they  arrive  in  New  York  cannot 
maintain  enough  to  support  themselves,  yet  the  consensus  of  opinion  has  been  that 
the  enormous  majority  of  immigrants  are  living  in  overcrowded  conditions  even  for  a 
number  of  years  after  they  arrive  here,  largely  because  they  cannot  produce  the  amount 
necessary  to  enable  them  to  maintain  the  standard  of  living  in  New  York  City.  It 
would  certainly  be  a  serious  mistake  for  the  City  to  attract  any  more  immigrants  to 
become  a  public  charge,  even  for  a  few  years  after  their  arrival.  As  a  practical 
means,  however,  of  enabling  the  class  who  are  now  practically  dependents,  and  the 
vastly  larger  numbers  who  would  be  dependents  upon  either  public  or  private  charities 
if  New  York  City  dares  to  enforce  a  decent  and  healthy  standard  of  housing,  the 
Committee  suggest  that  the  City  should  purchase  large  tracts  of  land,  either  in  par- 
tially settled  sections  of  the  Boroughs  of  Richmond  and  Brooklyn  and  Queens,  where 
land  has  today  only  a  nominal  value,  and  provide  decent  homes  for  the  City's  poor 
similar  to  the  New  York  City  Farm  Colony,  as  the  report  of  that  institution  shows 
that  inmates  of  this  colony  are  able  to  raise  a  large  proportion  of  the  vegetables  which 
they  consume.  While  also  statistics  have  not  been  kept  either  by  private  charities 
giving  relief  which  indicate  to  what  extent  their  beneficiaries  must  live  near  their 
work,  they  indicate  the  following  very  important  causes  of  poverty:  Long  hours  of 
work,  temporary  employment,  low  wages,  high  rentals  and  lack  of  training. 

The  Committee  are  convinced  that  it  will  be  entirely  feasible  to  train  adults  in 
agriculture  and  in  gardening  in  this  larger  City  Farm  Colony,  as  the  State  is  distincly 
and  sorely  in  need  of  trained  agriculturists  and  farm  laborers.  The  people  who  do 
this  work  should  be  paid  at  the  rate  locally  current  for  the  work,  while  any  products 
should  be  sold  by  the  City  at  the  current  rates ;  also,  a  careful  record  should  be  kept 
of  the  actual  cost  of  the  institution  to  the  City. 

(6)  The  Committee  also  urges  the  necessity  of  a  Municipal  Labor  Exchange  or 
Bureau,  and  that  the  State  be  urged  to  undertake  immediately  the  reclamation  of 
waste  lands  in  the  State,  as  well  as  a  wiser  forestry  policy. 

The  Committee  have  not  underestimated  either  the  responsibility  of  industry  for 
the   support  of  workers  nor  the  personal   element  and  individual   responsibility  for 


226 

poverty.  They  endorse  the  principle  of  workingmen's  compensation  and  employers' 
liability.  They  recognize  that  both  public  and  private  relief,  whether  indoor  or  out- 
door, are  only  interim  measures,  but  nevertheless  essential  under  present  organization 
of  society. 

They  urge  the  development  of  a  system  of  public  social  insurance,  and  that  such 
a  system  of  public  insurance  be  adopted,  based  upon  cost  and  incumbent  upon  all 
members  of  the  community  with  an  income  of  less  than  $1,200  a  vear  and  permissive 
up  to  $2,000. 

A.    Statement  of  Hon.  Robert  JV.  Hebberd,  Secretary  of  the  Slate  Board  of  Charities, 

on  Charities. 

There  are  a  great  many  charities  connected  with  churches  as  well  as  fraternal 
societies  in  the  City  that  are  spending  large  sums  for  charity  and  it  is  not  possible  to 
estimate  exactly  what  they  are  spending.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  the  present 
methods  of  charitable  societies  is  not  improving  permanently  the  sufiferers  from  con- 
gestion or  establishing  better  standards  of  living,  because  they  are  not  deaUng  ef- 
fectively with  conditions  which  are  making  their  work  necessary. 

We  cannot  exterminate  consumption  without  distributing  population  and  keeping 
people  out  of  unsanitary  and  dark  buildings  in  which  they  are  living  now.  It  is  very 
difficult  for  the  government  to  establish  completely  a  standard  of  living,  that  is  to 
determine  what  food  and  how  much  people  must  eat,  but  the  state  or  municipality  must 
■establish  a  housing  standard. 

Alderman  Callaghan  :  Do  you  think  public  outdoor  relief  should  be  given,  or  can 
the  private  charities  themselves  meet  the  present  demands? 

Commissioner  Hebberd :  Private  charities  claimed  some  time  ago  that  outdoor 
relief  in  New  York  City  was  a  bad  thing  and  detrimental  to  the  public  interest  and 
secured  its  abolition,  claiming  that  they  could  meet  the  needs.  It  would  be  better  for 
private  charities  to  come  out  now  and  say  that  they  are  not  able  to  raise  the  money 
needed  to  relieve  destitution  in  the  City  and  that  they  are  not  filling  the  bill  in  this 
respect. 

The  National  Conference  on  Dependent  Children  called  by  President  Roosevelt 
emphasized  the  fact  that  good  women  bringing  up  children  should  be  helped  in  their 
homes,  since  this  is  a  great  deal  better  for  them  than  breaking  up  the  homes  and 
placing  the  children  in  institutions.  In  order  to  do  this,  however,  private  charities  in 
the  City  must  pay  the  mother  larger  sums  than  they  do  at  present.  Some  charities  do 
not  give  as  a  rule  more  than  $1  per  week  for  families,  which  of  course  is  not  enough  to 
enable  them  to  support  the  family  adequately,  even  with  what  the  families  can  earn 
themselves. 

Alderman  Callaghan :  Should  the  City  give  money  to  private  charities  giving  relief 
in  homes  and  exercise  very  careful  supervision  over  the  expenditure  thereof? 

Commissioner  Hebberd :  The  City  should  not  give  money  to  private  charities  giving 
relief  in  homes  until  private  charities  admit  they  cannot  raise  the  money  necessary  to 
look  after  families  in  their  charge. 

Alderman  Campbell:  Can  you  give  any  figures  of  cost  of  children  in  institutions? 

Commissioner  Hebberd :  The  City  pays  $2.10  per  child  per  week  for  all  children 
committed  through  the  City  departments  to  institutions;  and  if  they  are  cared  for  on 
the  cottage  plan  25  cents  per  week  more  per  child.  A  good  many  of  the  private  chil- 
dren's societies,  however,  pay  money  to  families  who  board  their  children,  if  the 
children  are  kept  in  good  condition.  The  City  should  pay  at  least  50  cents  per  week 
per  child  more  in  institutions  which  care  for  children  on  the  cottage  system  since  this 
would  be  a  great  incentive  to  them  to  go  into  the  country  where  the  children  would  be 
healthier  and  be  better  kept;  $2.10  per  child  per  week  is  not  sufficient  to  meet  the  ex- 
pense of  shelter,  food,  doctoring,  clothing  and  teaching  of  children  and  the  City  is  not 
paying  enougn  at  present  so  that  the  children  can  be  properly  cared  for.  Most  of  the 
institutions  are  giving  the  City  more  than  they,  are  paid  for  and  the  State  Board  of 
Charities  has  supervision  over  all  institutions  which  are  drawing  public  money,  and 
they  cannot  secure  the  funds  or  appropriation  until  they  have  a  certificate  from  the 
State  Board  of  Charities  that  the  conditions  are  right  and  children  or  others  well  cared 
for.  The  Commissioner  of  Public  Charities  in  New  York  City  should,  however,  have 
some  one  who  could  visit  these  institutions  more  regularly  and  keep  closer  supervision 
over  the  children.  The  Brooklyn  Howard  Colored  Orphan  Asylum  has  difficulty  in 
getting  a  sufficient  support  to  care  properly  for  children  in  its  charge  at  the  low  rate 
paid  by  the  City,  but  they  have  promised  to  move  out  to  St.  James,  L.  I. 

Unless  an  institution  has  a  large  enough  endowment  or  Brothers  and  Sisters  to 
serve  without  pay,  they  cannot  afford  to  give  children  adequate  care  at  $2.10  per  child 
per  week. 

Alderman  Callaghan:  In  what  condition  are  the  hospitals  in  the  City? 


227 

Commissioner  Hebberd  :  They  are  also  under  supervision  of  the  State  Board  of 
Charities  if  in  receipt  of  public  money.  At  least  1,200  cubic  feet  per  patient  is  required; 
although  the  State  Board  of  Charities  decided  to  permit  that  to  be  reduced  in  certain 
hospitals  to  800  cubic  feet  if  superior  ventilating  conditions  are  provided.  The  City 
has  not  made  any  appropriation  for  the  construction  of  buildings  for  some  time, 
although  the  population  is  increasing  at  the  rate  of  150,000  a  year  and  the  number  of 
sick  and  infirm  to  be  cared  for  increases  about  500  to  1,000  a  year  and  the  City  must 
make  large  appropriations  to  catch  up  with  the  needs. 

Alderman  Callaghan  :  Should  hospitals  except  emergency  hospitals  be  moved  out 
of  the  City? 

Commissioner  Hebberd :  It  is  not  feasible  to  do  that  for  most  hospitals,  but 
Blackwells  Island  and  Randalls  Island  should  be  kept  for  children  and  Flatbush 
Hospital  in  Brooklyn  should  also  be  improved  with  hospital  parks  for  the  sick. 

Penal  institutions  should  be  removed  to  Rikers  Island  and  the  workhouse  to 
Harts  Island. 

Penal  institutions  should  be  placed  outside  of  New  York  City  or  on  the  islands. 

About  $35,000,000  was  spent  in  New  York  City  by  private  and  public  charities   last 
year,  including  expenditures  by  the  State  for  public  charities. 
Expenditures  for  Public  Charities,  including  Department  of  Health  and 

Bellevue  and   State   Hospitals    $15,000,000  00 

Expenditures  for  Private  Charities  about 20,000,000  00 

This  estimate  includes  construction  of  buildings  and  interest  on  investments  for 
various  public  and  private  charities. 

The  policy  of  giving  inadequate  relief  by  private  charities  tends  to  keep  people 
in  congested  districts. 

The  Tenement  House  Law  regarding  overcrowding  should  be  enforced  as  it  is 
not  enforced  at  present,  and  the  City  would  then  see  what  the  result  would  be  in 
diminishing  overcrowding  in  the  rooms.  A  few  cases  vigorously  enforced  would 
suffice  to  deter  people  from  living  several  in  a  room. 

Commissioner  Hebberd  was  asked  whether  the  private  charities  not  in  receipt  of 
public  moneys  should  be  under  the  control  of  the  public  authorities,  but  preferred  not 
to  commit  himself  on  that  point  at  present. 

The  Hospital  Commission  Report  suggests  the  provision  of  large  yards  for  hos- 
pitals. 

Alderman  Campbell:  Are  there  any  young  men  in  the  almshouse? 

Commisioner  Hebberd :  There  are  a  few  able-bodied  men  in  the  almshouse  and 
there  are  opportunities  for  them  to  work  on  the  farm.  Any  young  men  there  are  in 
some  respect  mentally  deficient. 

B.  Statement  Submitted  by  Mr.  Homer  Folks,  Secretary  of  the  State  Charities  Aid 
Association,  Formerly  Member  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  New  York  City  and 
Commissioner  of  Public  Charities,  1902  to  1903. 

Chairman  Callaghan  asked  Mr.  Folks  if  he  had  prepared  a  statement  to  the 
questions  which  had  been  submitted  to  him  and  Mr.  Folks  replied  that  he  had  not  done 
so,  but  said  he  had  looked  them  over  and  would  comment  informally  as  follows: 

"The  topics  which  you  have  asked  me  to  speak  on  include  a  number  of  subjects  on 
which  the  State  Charities  Aid  Association  has  had  no  occasion  to  take  any  attitude 
on  or  to  give  any  study  to,  and  I  will  therefore  speak  not  as  Secretary  of  that  organi- 
zation but  entirely  as  an  individual. 

Answering  the  first  question  as  to  what  is  the  result  of  maintaining  charitable 
institutions  in  congested  districts  where  land  values  are  high,  my  answer  is  that  further 
congestion  is  the  result,  and  congestion  of  a  very  serious  kind  in  these  institutions. 
I  am  more  especially  interested  in  the  institution  for  the  care  of  needy  children  and 
have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  to  keep  these  institutions  in  the  congested  portion 
of  the  City  is  an  extremely  unfortunate  thing  for  the  inmates  of  these  institutions 
irrespective  of  any  effect  it  may  have  on  those  portions  of  the  City.  As  to  land  values, 
of  that  I  do  not  feel  quahfied  to  speak,  but  as  to  the  inmates  of  the  institutions,  I  have 
given  that  matter  considerable  thought  for  a  long  time.  We  have  some  very  good 
illustrations  of  institutions  that  have  moved  out  and  have  rebuilt  in  the  country  where 
they  can  get  plenty  of  land  at  a  moderate  price  and  where  they  can  build  on  the 
cottage  plan  and  the  building  on  small  farms  and  the  directors  secure  individual  atten- 
tion .for  each  inmate  there  and  bring  each  inmate  there  in  closer  relation  with  grown- 
up people  who  care  for  them  and  who  are  called  House  Mothers  and  House  Fathers. 
I  think  it  is  the  general  belief  of  all  institutions  that  the  cottage  plan  is  desirable.  It 
is  recognized  by  the  City,  as  the  Board  of  Estimate  pay  a  larger  sum  per  week  to 
institutions  that  have  adopted  this  plan.  Among  these  are  the  St.  Christopher's  Home 
for  Children  at  Dobbs  Ferry,  and  the  Orphan  Asylum  Society,  which  left  Riverside 


228 

Drive  and  went  out  to  Hastings,  the  New  York  Catholic  Protectory  in  its  country- 
branch  in  the  upper  portion  of  Westchester,  all  have  this  plan,  and  the  Hebrew 
Guardian  Association  is  now  rebuilding  on  the  cottage  plan  in  the  country. 

The  Catholic  Protectory  have  a  section  of  a  large  farm  and  are  putting  up  some 
buildings  on  the  modified  cottage  plan.  My  impressions  are  that  there  is  nothing 
more  serious  than  the  congested  conditions  of  some  of  these  institutions  in  the  sense 
of  having  such  a  large  number  of  people  in  a  very  small  area,  as  for  instance  the  older 
portion  of  the  New  York  Catholic  Protectory.  I  think  the  situation  is  fully  appreci- 
ated by  the  managers  of  these  institutions  and  they  would  be  glad  if  they  could  see  their 
way  clear  to  finance  the  new  enterprise  and  move  out  to  the  country  and  rebuild  on  the 
cottage  plan;  at  least  I  know  that  some  of  the  managers  feel  that  way  about  it. 

(a)  The  evils  of  having  a  largo  number  of  children  in  institutions  in  congested 
districts  are  of  many  kinds.  There  are  those  that  are  purely  physical,  there  are  those 
that  relate  to  the  normal  development  of  the  children,  there  are  those  that  relate  to  the 
mental  development  and  the  impossibility  of  reproducing  the  kind  of  homelife  they 
will  have  to  live  in  subsequently,  and  the  most  serious  of  these  in  my  judgment  is  the 
moral  considerations,  as  the  children  do  not  have  a  chance  to  develop  the  affections  in 
a  purely  normal  way. 

Q.  Should  private  charities  be  encouraged  to  continue  institutions  in  such 
districts  ? 

A.  No,  I  think  that  where  the  City  largely  supports  institutions,  as  it  does  in 
most  cases,  or  even  if  it  pays  nothing  at  all,  it  is  not  only  the  proper  thing  for  the 
City  to  use  its  influence  to  secure  their  removal  to  the  country,  but  it  is  par-excellence 
the  way  to  accomplish  the  result,  and  as  the  City  has  a  great  deal  more  at  stake  than 
anybody  else  as  to  the  character  of  its  future  citizens,  and  as  the  surroundings  and  life 
of  these  children  to-day  have  so  much  to  do  with  the  future  character  of  these  men 
and  women,  it  is  essentiall}'  the  right  thing  for  the  City  to  use  its  influence  to  expedite 
the  removal  of  such  institutions  to  the  country  and  insist  upon  its  being  done,  f  ('o 
not  mean  by  any  harsh  methods  or  through  coercion.  1  would  begin  by  calling  on  them- 
for  a  statement  as  to  whether  they  are  planning  to  go  to  the  country  and  when  mey 
expect  to  go  and  by  declaring  that  the  City  was  in  'favor  of  the  cottage  sysem  and 
urging  upon  these  institutions  to  adopt  it  and  that  within  a  reasonable  time,  and  then 
again  later  call  upon  them  for  a  report  of  progress  and  if  they  have  not  in  any  way 
given  the  matter  attention,  or  done  anything  further  about  adopting  this  plan,  fix  a 
time  limit  for  them  to  do  something  in. 

Q.     Why  do  charitable  institutions  remain  in  the  City  and  desire  to  remain? 

A.  Inertia.  The  fact  that  the  managers  can  visit  them  more  readily,  that  the 
parents  of  the  children  can  visit  them  more  frequently  and  that  perhaps  they  had  not 
heard  about  this  other  way  of  doing  it  very  much  and  had  not  given  the  matter  any 
consideration  if  they  had  heard.  Then  I  think  that  no  doubt  that  naturally  they  are 
waiting  for  their  city  property  to  increase  in  value  so  that  it  will  enable  them  to  buy 
and  build ;  some  of  our  wealthiest  charity  institutions  gained  their  wealth  in  that  way. 

Q.  What  is  the  result  of  giving  charity  to  the  residents  of  congested  districts 
and  occupants  of  overcrowded  rooms  in  such  districts? 

A.  li  you  mean  the  giving  of  private  charity  by  private  asociations,  etc..  T 
would  say  that  it  all  depends  on  how  wisely  it  is  given.  In  its  best  form,  fami- 
lies should  be  removed  from  their  overcrowded  rooms  and  overcongested  dis- 
tricts and  forced  to  live  under  conditions  which  are  healthy  and  sanitary.  The 
giving  of  help  in  many  cases  should  be  dependent  upon  these  people  maintaining 
better  standards  of  living  and  more  sanitary  conditions.  The  enforcement  of 
rules  for  health  and  sanitary  conditions  should  remain  entirely  on  t'nose  getting 
relief.  Relief  giving  does  not  have  any  effect  either  one  way  or  the  other,  except 
as  it  is  inadequate  on  one  hand  or  adequate  and  with  proper  standards  on  the  other. 

(b)  As  to  that  part  of  the  question  relating  to  sanitation.  I  think  I  shoflld  plead 
not  having  any  particular  knowledge  on  that,  as  I  have  never  gone  into  the  matter 
at  all,  and  if  I  should  have  to  consider  this  matter  I  would  call  upon  experts  to 
advise  me.  Prof.  C.  E.  Winslow  of  the  City  College  is  one  very  excellent  authority 
on  that  subject. 

Q.  To  what  extent,  if  at  all,  do  private  charities,  by  inadequate  relief  to  people 
living  in  congested  districts  and  overcrowded  rooms,  increase  the  cost  of  the  public 
charity  of  the  City  by  making  it  possible  for  people  to  remain  in  congested  quarters 
to  their  physical  deterioration  or  impairment? 

A.  That  implies  a  degree  of  knowledge  of  the  different  private  charities  which 
I  do  not  possess.  I  do  not  know.  I  should  believe,  generally  speaking,  a  reasonably 
high  standard  is  maintained ;  I  have  no  means  of  knowing. 

Q.     Are  private  charities  able  to  meet  the  cost  of  providing  decent  or  healthy 


229 

standard  of  housing  for  underpaid  workers  in  congested  quarters?  If  not,  should 
the  City  renew  its  policy  of  giving  relief  to  the  poor  in  the  homes' 

A.  By  private  charities  I  take  you  to  mean  those  that  administer  private  funds. 
I  believe  that  the  state  should  exercise  the  power  of  inspection  over  all  charitable 
institutions,  whether  public  or  private,  where  there  is  charity  given,  not  only  to  pre- 
vent the  waste  of  money,  but  more  particularly  to  protect  people  from  being  in- 
jured. I  am  clear  and  strong  on  that,  but  I  should  not,  however,  think  it  desirable 
that  the  City  or  State  should  have  the  authority  to  lay  down  rules  and  regulations 
by  which  the  private  charities  handling  private  funds  should  operate,  but  I  think 
the  power  to  inspect  these  institutions  and  careful  reports  made  of  the  conditions 
found,  and  the  publicity  of  this  information  would  cure  the  evils,  but  I  do  not  believe 
that  we  have  better  administration  when  we  tie  these  people  hand  and  foot  by  rules 
and  regulations.  No.  I  do  not  think  that  private  charities  are  able  to  meet  the  cost 
of  providing  decent  housing  for  underpaid  workers,  etc.  At  least  they  say  they  are 
not,  and  I  am  willing  to  take  their  word  for  it.  I  know,  for  instance,  that  the 
Hebrew  Society  have  at  times  said  that  it  was  not  able  to  give  relief  to  those 
that  came  to  it,  and  the  St.  Vincent  de  Paul  Society  in  Brooklyn  have  stated  that 
at  times  it  was  forced  to  stand  by  and  see  the  children  of  widows  committed  to 
institutions,  and  the  home  in  this  way  broken  up  when  they  would  have  liked  to 
keep  the  home  together  by  charit5%  but  were  unable  to  do  so. 

I  do  not  think  that  the  City  should  re-establish  a  general  outdoor  relief  sys- 
tem, and  do  not  think  we  would  be  any  better  off  with  such  a  system  than  we  are 
now,  for  the  reason  that  so  long  that  it  is  given  as  charity  to  all  kinds  of  people 
needing  relief,  it  will  alwaj's  be  asked  and  those  that  really  do  need  it  will  not 
ask  for  it,  and  those  that  will  take  advantage  of  it  many  times  are  not  the  most 
worthy  of  it,  and  the  worthy  poor  will  not  apply.  As  to  what  they  do  in  this  respect 
in   foreign  countries,   I   do  not  know. 

I  do  not  think  that  this  relief  business  should  be  broken  up,  and  not  necessarily 
that  all  should  be  treated  alike.  For  instance,  I  think  it  is  possible  to  treat  a  widow 
and  her  family  in  an  entirely  different  way  from  others.  That  is  a  problem  by  itself. 
I  think  the  time  has  come  when  we  ought  to  consider  the  necessity  of  making  some 
more  adequate  provision  for  widows  in  their  homes.  Now,  of  course,  if  private 
charity  comes  forward  with  a  large  amount  for  that  purpose  this  might  meet  the 
situation,  but  it  has  not  done  so  yet.  I  do  not  believe  that  the  distribution  of  public 
funds  to  widows  who  meet  certain  other  standards  as  to  the  character,  etc.,  would 
be  exposed  to  the  evils  that  would  be  attached  to  a  general  outdoor  relief  system, 
and  that  it  should  be  done  on  the  basis,  as  far  as  practical,  as  to  take  it  out  of  the 
re'alm  of  charity  and  approach  as  near  as  possible  to  an  indemnity  for  the  earning 
capacity  of  the  husband,  and  I  think  this  would  be  working  along  the  right  lines, 
and  if  the  widow  did  not  wish  to  make  a  public  charge  of  her  children  she  should 
be  helped  in  this  way  to  bring  up  her  children  as  they  would  have  been  had  the 
husband's  wages  continued,  and  the  nearer  we  can  come  to  making  this  method 
possible  the  more  it  would  realize  my  standards  and  views.  Of  course  this  applies 
only  to  the  respectable  widow  with  children.  If  some  plan  could  be  worked  out 
by  which  we  could  pension  the  widows  or  as  an  indemnity  for  the  loss  of  the  hus- 
band's earnings,  I  think  \-ou  would  find  a  good  deal  of  support  for  that.  It  is  a 
hard  plan  to  work  out,  but  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  it  is  the  correct  principle. 

Q.  I  think  the  only  condition  should  be  that  she  occupy  quarters  that  comply 
with  the  minimum  standards  of  air,  space  and  light,  but  I  would  not  say  that  she 
should  go  to  the  country,  but  that  she  should  live  in  the  proper  kind  of  quarters  as 
to  light,  windows,  etc.,  which  go  to  make  sanitary  conditions  and  healthy  condi- 
tions, and  I  think  it  should  be  one  of  the  provisions,  however,  that  there  should  be 
no  boarders  in  such  quarters  and  some  means  outlined  to  make  sure  that  this  is 
complied  with. 

Q.  What  is  the  ultimate  result  of  giving  relief  to  the  poor  in  congested  dis- 
tricts ? 

A.  The  result  of  giving  relief  depends  on  how  wisely  it  is  given.  I  do  not  think 
it  tends  to  reduce  wages  or  increase  congestion,  if  properly  done,  and  I  do  not  see 
how  it  increases  land  speculation. 

Q.  What  should  be  the  relief  policy  of  the  city  with  respect  to  the  care  of 
widows  with  children  now  living  in  congested  districts  and  overcrowded  rooms? 

A.  I  am  ready  for  the  City  or  State,  if  the  private  charities  do  not  come  for- 
ward and  do  it,  to  see  either  the  City  or  State  provide  for  widows  with  children. 
I  think  it  is  time  that  widows  with  children  should  be  provided  for  by  the  City 
or  State,  and  I  do  not  believe  that  a  woman  can  be  a  mother  and  be  wage  earner  and 
take  care  of  the  children  at  the  same  time,  that  is,  if  there  are  several  children. 
Even  if  the  children  were  sent  to  a  Day  Nursery  in  the  daytime,  I  believe  it  would 


230 

be  asking  too  much  for  a  mother  to  take  care  of  herself  and  two  children  continu- 
ally; she  would  break  down,  get  tuberculosis,  pneumonia  or  some  other  disease, 
and  the  City  would  be  saving  in  the  wrong  place  and  eventually  all  become  a  bur- 
den on  the  charitable  institutions.  I  think  a  woman  can  support  herself  and  one 
child  without  any  trouble.  I  think  the  private  charities  could  take  care  of  the 
Day  Nurseries,  because  it  does  not  take  very  much  money. 
Q.     Are    Day    Nurseries    inspected    by    doctors? 

A.  I  do  not  know,  but  I  think  so.  1  think,  however,  that  they  should  be  under 
very  close  medical  observation. 

Q.     Would  a  law  giving  the   City  the  right  to  send   doctors  in  to  inspect   Day 
Nurseries  be  constitutional? 
A.     I  think  so. 

Q.  What  jurisdiction  has  the  State  over  private  charitable  institutions? 
A.  To  rro  extent,  except  to  protect  the  health  of  the  people  in  such  institutions 
on  the  health  side  only.  I  think  the  City  or  State  should  insist  upon  a  periodical 
examination  of  all  children  going  to  these  institutions,  the  same  as  required  by  the 
public  schools.  I  think  this  periodical  examination  of  all  children  by  good  medical 
authorities  could  be  enforced  and  should  be,  so  that  all  children  may  be  examined 
by  a  competent  doctor  before  being  admitted  to  such  institutions,  and  periodically 
thereafter. 

Q.  What  would  be  the  relief  policy  of  the  City  with  respect  to  underfed  chil- 
dren in  the  public  schools? 

A.  I  have  not  given  that  question  close  enough  study  to  enable  me  to  speak 
about  it,  but  I  am  willing  to  give  my  impressions  upon  it.  I  think  it  would  be  de- 
sirable that  meals  should  be  furnished  at  cost  at  the  schools.  I  do  not  think  they 
should  be  free.  I  think  the  giving  of  meals  to  such  as  cannot  pay  for  same  should 
be(  treated  as  a  charity  problem,  but  would  not  make  any  difference  between  the 
meals  furnished  to  the  children.  I  think  the  meal  should  be  furnished  to  all  those 
that  want  to  take  it,  and  all  who  take  it  should  pay  for  it,  and  if  any  cannot  pay  for 
it  the  funds  for  those  should  be  provided  by  private  charity,  so  that  every  meal  should 
be  paid   for. 

Q.  What  would  be  the  ultimate  result  of  giving  meals  even  at  cost?  I  was 
told  by  Miss  Kittridge,  who  is  connected  with  the  Lunch  Associations,  the  other  day, 
that  a  difference  of  VA  or  2  cents  per  meal  would  be  more  than  the  parents  could 
afford. 

A.  I  do  not  think  this  would  interfere  in  any  way  with  the  general  problem.  Mj' 
preference  is  that  the  school  itself  should  furnish  the  meal  at  cost.  I  do  not 
particularly  object  to  the  meal  being  furnished  by  others,  but  I  think  it  would  be 
better  if  the  school  would  do  this.  I  am  more  interested  in  the  children  getting  food 
and  good  food  and  the  worth  of  their  money  rather  than  I  am  in  just  who  does  it. 
Q.  Can  the  evils  of  congestion  of  population  be  alleviated  or  even  mitigated 
more  than  temporarily  by  public  or  private  charity,  or  are  the  landlords,  the  tenement 
sweater,  the  employers  and  those  interested  in  immigration  steamship  lines,  the  rea' 
and  permanent  beneficiaries  of  such  relief? 

A.  No.  The  question  of  distribution  of  population  is  not  one  to  be  settled  by 
charity.    Charitv  has  some  effect  on  it.  but  only  in  a  small  way. 

Q.  We  asked  a  doctor  connected  with  a  charitable  association  why  poor  people 
did  not  move  to  the  country,  and  he  said  they  always  answered  him  when  he  asked 
this  question  that  if  they  moved  to  the  country  they  would  not  receive  any  help 
from  the  charitable  institutions. 

Mr.  Folks :  I  think  congestion  is  such  that  it  has  to  be  met  by  other  things  than 
charity,  by  transportation,  by  ordinances  as  to  where  factories  are  allowed  to  be, 
etc.,  where  fhe  work  is  to  be  done,  and  while  charity  enters  into  it,  of  course,  it 
is  only  in  a  very  small  way  and  is  but  a  very  small  part  of  the  congestion  question 
in  my  judgment. 

Q.  Should  New  York  City  adopt  the  policy  of  some  foreign  cities  and  provide 
large  farms  with  small  industries,  homes,  etc..  for  its  citizens  who  cannot  maintain 
a  decent  standard  in  congested  quarters  with  high  land  values,  and  train  them  on 
to  self-support  there? 

A.  I  should  not  think  so.  I  think  the  City  would  be  making  a  mistake  to  do 
this,  to  provide  large  farms  and  try  to  train  them  to  be  self-supporting  there.  I 
think  it  would  be  more  likely  to  train  them  to  be  dependent.  I  think  the  question  oif 
trade  teaching  should  be  handled  as  an  educational  matter  entirely  and  entirely 
divorced  from  the  question  of  charitable  support.  I  think  we  should  go  further 
than  we  do  in  our  educational  institutions;  we  should  be  teaching  children  more 
manual  training  rather  than  so  much  drawing  and  art,  etc.  The  only  way  for  a  boy 
to  get  a  first-class  manual  training  is  for  him  to  be  so  bad  that  he  has  to  be  sent 


231 

to  a  reformatory.  I  think  this  manual  training  is  absolutely  necessary  with  the  high- 
est standard  of  practical  education,  and  should  be  available  for  all  children. 

Q.  What  would  you  do  with  the  adults  that  have  no 'training  in  any  particular 
line,  that  is,  the  unskilled  workmen  of  this  City,  of  which  there  are  10,000  out  of 
work  in  this  City  to-day? 

A.  I  should  question  your  fact,  unless  in  exceptional  times.  I  should  think  there 
is,  as  a  rule,  a  great  deal  of  work  for  unskilled  workmen  in  New  York  City,  and 
always  likely  to  be,  as  they  are  always  digging  subways,  foundations,  etc.,  and  we 
always  have  a  great  deal  of  that  sort  of  work  to  do.  We  should  have  classes  tio  train 
men  how  to  work  in  public  schools  if  I  had  anything  to  do  about  it.  I  think  it  is 
a  misconception  if  you  mean  to  imp!}-  that  there  are  as  a  rule  a  large  number  of 
able-bodied  men  who  are  willing  to  work  and  cannot  get  it  and  thus  become  the 
objects  of  charity.  I  have  not  had  much  of  any  success  in  discovering  in  the  alms- 
houses people  who  are  able  to  do  any  work ;  they  are  all  pretty  well  maimed  that 
are  there;  the  able-bodied  ones  are  not  there;  I  did  not  discover  any  considerable 
capacity  for  labor  there.  I  think  those  who  are  in  the  almshouse  or  such  places 
are  pretty  well  down  and  out  in  the  physical  sense.  There  are  exceptional  times, 
however,  when  the  demand  for  work  for  able-bodied  men  is  urgent  and  we  have  no 
sufficient  provision  to  meet  it. 

Q.  What  do  you  think  of  the  question  of  giving  privileges  to  sell  fruits,  papcr:j, 
etc.,  on  the  streets  and  stands  to  people  who  are  unable  to  do  hard  manual  labor:" 

A.  I  think  well  of  that  and  also  of  making  a  ruling  as  to  age  for  boys  for 
messengers,  etc.,  so  that  men  would  have  to  be  employed.  I  think  there  is  a  good 
deal  of  work  done  by  children  that  should  and  could  be  done  by  adults  who  cannot 
do  other  and  heavier  work. 

Q.  At  what  age  would  you  permit  children  to  go  to  work  in  the  private  in- 
dustries? 

A.     At  such  an  age  that  there  would  not  be  any  children  there  at  all. 

Q.     Don't  the  16-year  age  law  apply  now  in  the  day  time? 

A.  Yes,  I  believe  so,  and  the  21  "for  the  night  work  for  messenger  boys,  and 
while  you  mav  think  this  somewhat  of  a  hardship  on  a  number  of  children  that  may 
have  to  work"  I  believe  it  would  be  working  a  benefit  for  a  large  number. 

Q.  If  relief  to  immigrants  in  congested  districts  increases  congestion,  should 
legislation  be  enacted  requiring  private  charities  to  report  all  relief  given  by  them 
and  making  the  application  for  such  relief  cause  for  deportation,  or  at  least  appli- 
cation a  determined  number  of  times? 

A.  While  I  should  question  the  premises  and  therefore  throw  out  the  con- 
clusions so  as  to  speak.  I  do  not  think  that  relieving  immigrants  in  congested  dis- 
tricts increases  congestion  if  properly  done  or  given.  Therefore,  I  should  not  favor 
legislation  of  this  kind.  I  should  favor  the  power  of  inspection  of  their  work  by  the 
State.  I  would  not  make  the  application  for  such  relief  a  cause  for  deportation;  T 
would  not  favor  that.  I  would  simply  force  them  to  live  in  conditions  that  are 
sanitary  and  in  accordance  with  proper  standards  for  health,  and  if  you  are  helping 
these  people  you  can  force  them  to  do  these  things,  because  if  you  are  helping  them 
you  can  givethem  to  understand  that  j-ou  will  do  so  only  if  they  comply  with  these 
conditions  and  that  they  move  into  healthier  quarters,  and  that  you  will  help  them 
to  move  into  such  quarters  and  remain  in  such  quarters.  Charity  is  expensive  when 
well  done  and  the  question  of  congestion  must  be  handled  _  separately  from  the 
question  of  charity.  I  would  not  continue  to  allow  them  to  live  in  such  rooms  as 
you  say  many  of  "them  are  living  in  to-day.  I  would  forbid  the  occupancy  of  such 
rooms  as  breed  tuberculosis. 

In  regard  to  the  immigrant,  I  should  not  treat  him  differently  from  anybody 
else,  because  I  think  he  is  as  well  able  to  support  himself  as  anvbody  else.  I  do  think 
that  immigrants  are  a  whole  lot  better  able  to  take  care  of  themselves  than  we 
think  they  are.  We  excuse  ourselves  for  all  kinds  of  improper  conditions  that  ought 
not  to  continue,  by  saying  that  we  have  so  many  immigrants  here,  but  I  do  not  think 
this  is  any  excuse  at  all. 

Q.  What  would  you  do  with  the  people  that  do  not  earn  enough  to  maintain 
the  standard? 

A.  I  think  thev  can  maintain  the  standard  of  living  and  the  immigrant  is  not 
so  much  a  cause  of  worry  as  we  think  he  is. 

Q.  You  mean  to  say  that  an  unskilled  worker  in  this  City  can  maintain  the  .stand- 
ard and  set  w^ork  bv  cutting  wages? 

A.  That  is  a  little  beyond  my  depth,  yet  generally  I  would  be  inclined  to  answer 
in  the  affirmative,  that  he  can  get  work,  as  there  is  lots  of  work  to  be  done  here 
as  a  rule.  I  am  not  speaking  of  exceptional  conditions  when  there  is  much  unem- 
ployment, but  of  what  seems  to  me  the  ordinary  conditions. 


232 

•  Chairman  Callaghan :  My  experience  is  lliat  the  foreigner  has  more  work  than 
the  native. 

Secretary:  Do  you  think  there  is  plenty  of  work  to  go  around? 

Mr.  Flynn :  No,  I  do  not  think  there  is  work  enough  to  go  around,  and  an  un- 
skilled laborer  only  makes  about  $1.50  per  day,  and  he  cannot  rnaintain  a  family  on 
that,  and  they  cannot  get  the  work  unless  they  work  for  starvation  wages.  Labor  is' 
a  commodity  just  the  same  as  potatoes,  when  plentiful  it  is  cheap,  when  scarce  it  is 
high.  The  foreman  of  a  factory  in  New  England  told  me  once  that  it  was  the  un- 
employed that  regulated  the  price  of  wages. 

C.  Statement  Submitted  by  Mrs.  Florence  Kelley,  Secretary   of  the  National   Con- 

sumers' League. 

The  whole  administration  of  the  charities  in  New  York  City,  public  and  private, 
tends  to  produce  congestion  of  population.  The  City  gives  charities  the  use  of  valu- 
able property  which  is  exempt  from  taxation  and  these  institutions  keep  their  inmates 
in  these  congested  districts  until  they  get  the  increase  of  these  valuable  properties  and 
the  City  by  its  present  policy  puts  a  premium  on  congestion. 

Children  should  be  in  the  country  and  the  City  should  not  pay  any  money  for 
the  children  who  are  being  cared  for  in  the  City. 

Whenever  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  grants  money  for  charitable 
institutions  in  the  City  it  should  be  on  conditions  that  their  Board  of  Managers  should 
take  active  steps  to  remove  from  the  City  to  the  country  within  the  next  year.  Some 
institutions  train  their  inmates  now  in  needle  trades,  which  are  congested  trades.  The 
Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  however,  has  promised  to  investigate  the 
result  of  giving  municipal  monej'  to  institutions  in  congested  districts.  The  Hebrew 
Orphan  Asylum  now  occupies  $1,000,000  worth  of  tax  exempt  land.  They  train 
children,  however,  only  for  the  congested  life  in  the  great  City.  The  City  permits  the 
institution  to  get  the  increase  in  the  value  of  the  land. 

Alderman  Callaghan:  How  many  have  been  removed  from  the  City? 

Mrs.   Kelley :  It  is  not  definitely  known. 

Alderman  Callaghan:  What  brings  the  child  back  into  the  Citv'' 

Mrs.  Kelley :  The  fact  that  the  families  live  in  the  congested  districts  where  the 
charitable  societies  pay  their  rent. 

Alderman  Callaghan:  Why  do  charities  do  this? 

Mrs.  Kelley :  Because  if  the  family  stays  where  the  congestion  is  worst  it  can 
get  work  from  the  sweated  districts  at  low  pay.  This  tends  to  keep  families  in 
congested  districts,  otherwise  they  would  go  into  less  congested  districts  and  healthier 
parts  of  the  City. 

Private  charitable  societies  are  creating  congestion  in  its  worst  form  by  assisting 
people  to  remain  in  congested  districts. 

Alderman  Callaghan:  Should  the  City  establish  its  own  employment  bureau? 

Mrs.  Kelley :  Yes,  and  it  should  run  it  free  as  every  city  and  State  should,  and 
as  is  done  in  Germany. 

Alderman   Callaghan:  Would  you  abolish  private  employment  agencies? 

Mrs.  Kelley:  If  the  City  conducts  good  employment  agencies  this  will  result  in 
driving  out  private  agencies. 

Alderman  Callaghan  :  Do  you  think  that  an  effort  should  be  made  to  have  the 
immigration  law  amended  so  that  those  who  are  in  receipt  of  public  as  well  as  private 
charity  two  or  three  times  after  having  been  here  a  certain  time  should  be  subject  to 
deportation? 

Mrs.  Kelley :  It  seems  hardly  human  to  return  to  the  Pale  of  Russia  people 
who  have  been  driven  out  by  the  persecutions  in  that  country. 

The  Secretary :  Do  you  think,  however,  that  the  fact  that  those  families  apply 
for  relief  frequently  would  justify  the  City  in  determining  their  location  and  in 
exercising  further  control? 

Mrs.  Kelley :  That  seems  entirely  reasonable. 

D.  Statement  by  B.  Ogden  Ckisohn,  Chairman  Corlears  District  Connnittee,  Charity 

Organization  Society. 
At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Corlears  District  Committee  of  the  Charity  Organiza- 
tion Society,  the  question  of  the  high  rents  paid  by  the  Italians  was  considered. 
The  Committee  discussed  this  subject  at  some  length,  especially  the  phase  of  it  which 
brought  out  the  facts  that  frequently  so  much  rent  was  paid  from  the  earnings  of  the 
breadwinner  as  to  leave  an  insufficient  amount  for  the  purchase  of  the  necessarj'' 
food.  Believing  that  you  are  desirous  of  obtaining  information  gathered  by  experts 
on  the  subject  which  your  Commission  is  investigating,  I  was  requested,  as  Chairman 
of  the  District  Committee,  to  furnish  some  facts  which  might  be  of  interest  to  you. 


233 

Roughly  speaking,  there  are  81,140  Italians  in  the  section  cast  of  Broadway  and 
south  of  Houston  street.  These  came  largely  from  the  southern  part  of  Italy,  from 
Sicily  and  the  Neapolitan  section,  and  live  in  three  districts : 

First. — West  of  the  Bowery  from  Houston  street  to  Park  row^  and  up  the  river 
front  to  Pike  street. 

Second — In  the  district  east  of  the  Bowery  from  Houston  to  Canal  street, 
bounded  on  the  east  by  Allen  street. 

Third — A  rapidly  growing  section  along  the  water  front,  north  of  Grand  street, 
containing  at  present  about  8,000  individuals. 

The  contention  is  that  the  rents  are  large  and  that  as  a  result  the  food  supply 
for  adults  and  children  is  insufficient  for  growth  and  efficient  work.  In  many  cases 
the  families  are  forced  for  part  of  the  year  to  become  the  recipients  of  private  or 
public  charity.  This  can  be  substantiated  by  the  following  facts  gathered  by  workers 
living  in  the  district,  having  expert  knowledge  of  hundreds  of  Italian  families . 

Wages. — The  majority  of  the  families  live  in  two  or  three-room  tenements, 
paying  $9  to  $16,  the  average  being  about  $12.50  per  month  The  rent  per  room  is 
about  $5,  wath  unsatisfactory  toilet  and  water  facilities.  The  wages  are  very  largely 
those  of  a  day  laborer — from  $1  to  $1.75  a  day.  The  men  w-ork  as  street  cleaners, 
tailors,  shoe-makers,  barbers  and  operators  in  tobacco.  The  girls  and  boys  are 
forced  to  work  early  and  are  employed  largely  in  factories  where  the  wages  range 
from  $2.50  to  $6  per  week.  As  you  doubtless  know,  a  great  number  of  the  women  are 
forced  to  do  home  work.  This  is  characteristic  of  the  whole  section.  They  carry 
work  to  their  homes  where  the  workers  hnd  the  conditions  unsatisfactory,  and  the 
pay  shockingly  inadequate.  Many  of  these  tenements  where  such  home  work  is  done 
under  unsanitar\'  conditions  are  unknown  to  the  inspectors. 

Food. — A  careful  investigation  was  made  of  the  kinds  of  foods  used  by  these 
families  and  in  the  majority  of  cases  it  was  found  that  the  diet  was  unsatisfactory 
for  this  Northern  climate,  consisting  largely  of  vegetables,  fish  and  bread,  with  little 
meat.  Inquiry  was  made  of  the  amount  of  food  per  individual  and  without  exception 
the  person  gathering  the  statistics  answered  that  the  amount  was  insufficient  for 
the  growth  of  children  and  for  satisfactory  work  on  the  part  of  adults. 

Many  little  children  were  suffering  from  malnutrition  and  many  school  children 
were  found  during  the  winter  months  when  work  was  slack  to  be  insufficiently  nour- 
ished, and  charitable  and  social  workers  have  found  it  necessary  for  several  years  to 
render,  during  these  winter  months,  a  steadily  increasing  amount  of  private  and 
public  charity  to  such  families.  The  interpretation  of  these  facts  seems  to  be  that  the 
amount  of  money  spent  for  rent  left  an  entirely  inadequate  amount  for  food,  clothing 
and  protection  against  the  cold. 

It  was  further  ascertained  that  the  Italians  spend  a  very  small  amount  for 
amusements  and  that  the  money  earned  is  used  to  an  unusual  degree  in  meeting 
necessary  expenses  of  life. 

It  has  been  further  discovered  that  the  vitality  of  school  children  of  the  Italian 
races  in  this  part  of  the  City  is  less  than  that  of  children  of  other  races  and  of 
children  in  other  parts  of  the  City,  and  that  largely  because  of  tlie  demands  of  the 
home  boj's  and  girls  were  forced  to  work  as  soon  as  their  working  papers  could 
be  obtained. 

The  chief  object  of  this  communication  is  to  emphasize  the  various  conditions 
relating  to  the  home,  and  we  believe  that  it  should  lie  within  the  power  of  your 
Commission  to  remedy  them  in  some  way. 

Our  suggestions  are  as  fololws : 

First — That  in  many  of  the  old  houses  for  which  the  tenants  pay  ample  rents, 
the  owners  should  be  compelled  to  improve  them  and  make  the  sanitary  arrangements 
satisfactory  and  furnish  such  apartments  with  a  ready  supply  of  water. 

Second — That  some  plan  might  be  worked  out  by  your  Commission  for  the 
more  regular  equalization  of  work  among  the  various  classes  so  that  the  employment 
maj-  spread  over  the  entire  year,  which  it  does  not  seem  to  do  at  present,  every  one 
being  overworked  during  the  rush  season,  and  there  being  much  idleness  during  the 
off  season. 

Third — That  the  building  of  lofts  containing  various  kinds  of  manufactures  em- 
ploying Italian  men  and  women  be  suspended  in  the  crowded  districts  on  the  east 
side  and  that  further  building  of  this  kind  be  confined  to  the  newer  parts  of  the  City, 
so  that  the  working  classes  will  be  encouraged  to  establish  themselves  in  these 
outlying  districts. 


234 

E.     Statement   of   IV.    Frank   Persons,   Superintendent   6f   the    Charity   Organization 
Society  of  The  City  of  New  York,  to  the  Committee  on  Charities. 

The  Secretary:  Does  the  Charity  Organization  Society  send  to  the  country  or 
elsewhere  outside  of  the  City  dependent  famiHes  who  could  be  made  self-supporting 
by  such  removal  to  places  where  there  is  available  work? 

Mr.  Persons :  The  Charity  Organization  Society  finds  it  relatively  difficult  to 
move  dependent  families  to  the  country  or  elsewhere  outside  of  the  City.  This  can 
seldom  be  done  unless  the  family  can  be  sent  to  neighborhoods  in  which  relatives 
reside  or  close  friends  who  are  willing  to  give  assurance  that  the  family  will  not 
become  dependent  in  its  new  home. 

A  majority  of  the  important  relief  agencies  throughout  the  country  and  many 
public  relief  officers  have  signed  an  agreement  binding  them  not  to  transport  a 
dependent  family  from  one  community  to  another  v.-ithout  advance  assurance  that 
the  family  will  not  thereby  be  made  dependent  upon  the  charity  of  the  community  to 
which  it  goes.  A  just  regard  for  the  future  welfare  of  the  family,  irrespective  of 
the  interests  of  other  communities,  does  not  permit  the  society  to  send  such  families 
beyond  its  jurisdiction  and  oversight  without  adequate  assurance  that  the  change 
will  be  for  their  distinct  advantage. 

There  is  some  demand  for  the  services  of  married  couples  on  farms,  but  this  is 
limited  usually  to  those  who  have  an  actual  experience  in  such  work;  naturally  there 
are  few  such  families  in  this  City  known  to  charitable  agencies. 

Sickness  exists  on  the  part  of  one  or  more  members  in  approximately  two-thirds 
of  all  the  families  under  the  care  of  this  society.  Until  health  is  restored,  the  family 
must  be  kept  within  reach  of  hospital  or  medical  care. 

The  demand  for  unskilled  labor  outside  the  City,  for  instance,  on  railroad  con- 
struction, is  usually  for  men  who  can  live  in  the  construction  camps.  Men  who 
accept  such  employment  are  not  able  to  take  their  families  with  them.  In  the  nature 
of  the  case  such  work  is  temporary. 

All  these  conditions  tend  to  prevent  men  with  families  removing  their  homes 
from  the  City,  even  though  they  accept  such  work.  Homeless  men  or  single  men  are 
placed  in  such  employment  outside  of  New  York  City  much  more  frequently.  In 
July  of  this  year,  166  single  men  were  placed  in  permanent  work ;  in  June,  92 ;  in 
May,  105 ;  in  April,  95,  by  the  Joint  Application  Bureau. 

Any  successful  effort  to  secure  the  permanent  removal  of  dependent  families 
from  the  City  to  the  country  requires  continuing  oversight  after  the  change  of  resi- 
dence has  been  made.  There  must  be  special  organization  and  equipment  for  such 
work.  It  is  attended  necessarily  with  large  expenditures  for  transportation,  adminis- 
trative expenses  and  the  relief  needed  until  permanent  self-support  is  assured. 

The  Industrial  Removal  Office,  174  Second  avenue,  was  established  in  1900  to 
relieve  the  congestion  in  Jewish  quarters  in  New  York  City  and  to  divert  Jewish 
immigrants  from  the  large  sea  ports  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean  to  the  interior.  In  eight 
years,  46,513  persons  have  been  sent  by  this  agency  to  over  1,000  towns  and  cities 
throughout  the  United  States.  All  expenses  were  provided  by  the  office,  no  charge 
being  made  for  the  beneficiaries. 

The  Jewish  Agricultural  and  Industrial  Aid  Society.  174  Second  avenue,  was 
organized  in  1909  to  assist  and  encourage  Jewish  immigrants  to  becom.e  farmers.  This 
agency  helps  its  beneficiaries  to  find  suitable  farms  and  grants  loans  on  easy  terms 
and  at  a  low  rate  of  interest  toward  the  purchase  of  farms  and  for  equipment.  It  has 
aided  nearlv  1,300  Jewish  farmers  in  24  States  and  in  Canada,  with  loans  aggregating 
over  $600,000. 

The  Baron  de  Hirsch  Fund,  43  Exchange  place.  Room  705,  w-as  organized  in  1891 
for  the  benefit  of  Russian,  Roumanian  and  Galician  immigrants  who  have  been  in 
this  country  not  longer  than  two  years.  Its  purpose  is  to  Americanize  and  assimilate 
the  immigrants  w-ith  the  masses  by  teaching  them  to  become  good  citizens  and  to  pre- 
vent, by  all  proper  means,  their  congregating  in  large  cities. 

The  North  American  Civic  League  for  immigrants  was  organized  in  Boston 
about  two  years  ago.  The  New  York  Committee  of  the  League  had  headquarters  at 
32  East  22d  street.  The  Committee  proposes  to  undertake  educational  w-ork,  to 
study  questions  of  transportation,  the  distribution  of  immigrants,  to  secure  desirable 
legislation,  and  to  carry  out  the  recommendations  of  the  Commission  on  Immigration 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  which  was  appointed  by  Governor  Hughes  in  1908. 

While  it  is  doubtless  of  great  advantage  to  the  families  concerned  to  remove 
them  from  congested  districts  to  localities  in  which  there  are  cheap  rents,  abundant 
labor,  and  relatively  good  wages,  this  effort  alone  will  not  solve  the  problem  of 
congestion  in  New  York  City.  The  number  so  removed  must  ever  be  small  in 
relation  to  the  whole  number  residing  in   such  localities.     Their   removal   does   not 


235 

prevent  other  families  moving  into  the  same  congested  quarters  to  take  their  places. 

The  Secretary:  If  the  City  should  enforce  the  present  law  as  to  overcrowding, 
would  it  not  drive  many  people  below  the  dependent  line;  that  is,  if  they  were  obliged 
to  pay  for  twice  as  many  feet  of  floor  space  and  if  they  were  already  on  the  verge 
of  dependency? 

Mr.  Persons :  I  can  foresee  no  other  result  assuming  that  the  expenses  of  living 
are  increased  without  a  corresponding  increase  in  the  income  of  the  family. 

Alderman  Campbell :  Does  the  Charity  Organization  Society  receive  requests  for 
men  to  work  on  large  construction  projects  on  railroads? 

Mr.  Persons:  So  far  as  I  know  such  requests  have  never  been  addressed  to  the 
sonety,  and  if  they  were  it  would  be  difficult,  as  I  have  stated  above,  to  send  married 
men  either  with  or  without  their  families  to  take  this  kind  of  employment. 

F.     Statement  by  Mrs.  William  Einstein,  President  Widowed  ]\Iothers'  Fund  Associa- 

.  lion,  New  York  City. 
The  manner  in  which  private  charity  in  New  York    (and  New  York  is  mainly 
typical  of  other  States),  '"«d  handled  the  problem  of  assisting  the  widow,  fills,  in  my 
opinion,  one  of  the  blackest  pages  in  the  history  of  philanthropic  endeavor. 

Charity  organizations  dispose  of  the  widow  with  children  in  this  wise:  If  the 
woman  is  strong  enough  to  ^vork,  she  must  furnish  the  main  support  of  the  family 
and  supplementary  relief  is  given.  If  what  she  earns  and  the  relief  given  prove 
insufficient,  commitment  of  the  younger  children  has  been  advised  by  the  relief  agency. 
When  the  woman  breaks  down  from  overwork,  the  society  "helps"  her  to  place  her 
other  children  in  institutions.  The  mother  stays  with  friends  or  in  a  hospital_  until 
she  recovers  her  strength ;  then,  having  only  herself  to  provide  for,  no  relief  is 
deemed  necessary,  and  she  is  left  to  shift  for  herself. 

The  records  show  that  in  the  vast  majority  of  instances  the  woman  is  obliged 
to  spend  the  larger  part  of  the  day  or  night  scrubbing  floors,  doing  washing,  or 
working  in  a  factory^doing  anything  but  mothering  her  children,  who  must  take 
care  of  themselves  usually  upon  the  street. 

At  the  Conference  of  Charities  last  spring,  the  superintendent  of  one  of  our 
most  efficient  orphan  asylums,  submitted  the  results  of  a  very  comprehensive  study 
of  dependent  families  of  widows  being  supported  by  three  important  charitable  organ- 
izations in  New  York  City.  .  , 
"These  figures  indicate  that  those  pensioned  (meaning  widows)  arfe  not  being 
adequately  supported;  that  they  are  living  in  quarters  congested  altogether  beyond 
the  dictates  of  health,  morality  and  decency,  that  they  are  being  compelled  to  eke  out 
a  living  far  inferior  to  that  required  by  normal  standards.  The  amount  of  relief 
given  beyond  the  earnings  of  mothers  and  children  is,  in  the  cases  assisted  only  by 
the  private  relief  society,  barely  sufficient  to  cover  rent,  and  in  other  cases  where 
co-operative  efforts  prevails,  the  amount  of  relief  is  very  meagre,  compared  with  the 
average  size  of  the  family." 

A  fitting  climax  to  the  statement  of  the  facts  quoted  in  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Adolph 
Lewisohn,  President  of  the  Hebrew  Sheltering  Guardian  Society,  uttered  at  the 
Washington  Conference,  one  of  the  organizations  involved  in  the  comprehensive  study 
above  mentioned. 

"The  experience  of  philanthropic  societies  throughout  the  United  States,"  said 
Mr.  Lewisohn,  "is  convincing  that  in  the  case  of  widowed  mothers,  if  the  mothers 
were  given  ample  subsidy,  there  w^ouid  be  no  necessity  whatever  of  placing  their 
children  either  in  institutions  or  foster  homes.  In  this  we  have  an  exceptionally 
simple  solution  of  the  children  problem  by  caring  for  the  children,  not  in  institutions, 
not  in  foster  homes,  but  with  their  own  mothers,  who  can  give  them  the  parental  love 
and  the  parental  attention  whose  value  is  incalculable  and  which  cannot  be  obtained 
for  them  in  any  other  way." 

The  failure  of  private  charity  to  cope  with  the  situation  is  forcibly  summed  up 
by  Mr.  Robert  W.  Hebberd  at  a  recent  hearing  of  the  New  York  Commission  on 
Congestion:  "Private  charities  claimed  some  time  ago  that  outdoor  public  relief 
in  New  York  City  was  a  bad  thing,  detrimental  to  the  public  interest,  and  secured  its 
abolition,  claiming  that  they  could  meet  the  needs.  It  would  be  better  for  private 
charities  to  come  out  now  and  say  that  they  are  not  fulfilling  the  bill  in  this  respect." 
Mr.  Hebberd  adds  the  significant  remark :  "The  policy  of  giving  inadequate  relief  by 
private  charities  tends  to  keep  people  in  congested  districts." 

In  contrast  with  the  conditions  obtained  in  this  country,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to 
note  how  European  countries  have  recognized  the  special  needs  of  the  widowed 
mother  and  what  is  being  done  to  relieve  them. 

In  some  of  the  cantons  of  Switzerland  Miss  Jane  Addams  stated  the  method  of 
relieving  the  widowed  mother  with  children  eliminates  every  hint  of  dependency  and 


236 

makes  "pauperizing"  impossible.  Every  child  of  a  widow,  who  is  of  school  age.  at 
the  end  of  a  successful  week  in  school,  receives  a  scholarship  from  the  Canton.  The 
money  is  given  as  a  scholarship  and  the  child  takes  it  home  to  its  mother,  not  because 
he  is  the  recipient  of  charity,  but  because  the  law-givers  of  Switzerland  having  found 
it  to  the  advantage  of  the  state  that  a  child  should  go  to  school  when  he  is  under 
fourteen  years  of  age,  quite  as  much  as  it  is  to  the  interest  of  the  state  that  a  child 
after  a  certain  age  should  be  at  work. 

In  Berne,  ciiildren  are  boarded  with  their  widowed  mothers ;  strict  super\  ision  is 
kept,  and  if  the  children  arc  found  to  be  ill-treated  or  neglected,  the  parent  may  be 
sent  to  the  penal  workhouse. 

In  Zurich,  the  municipality  has  organized  a  regular  bureau  to  watch  over  poor 
school  children  and  see  that  they  are  well  cared  for.  If  a  widow  has  more  children 
than  she  can  support,  her  rent  is  paid,  bread  and  milk  bill,  too,  andi  she  receives 
presents  of  food  and  clothing.  All  this  without  being  placed  on  the  pauper  list,  nor 
does  the  mother  feel  that  she  is  the  recipient  of  charity. 

Australia  has  derived  a  very  safe  and  sane  plan  for  the  relief  of  fatherless 
children  who  have  mothers  living.  The  State  Charities  Department  boards  the 
children  with  the  mother,  paying  hei"  a  certain  sum  for  each  child.  To  properly  safe- 
guard the  children  from  possible  mismanagement  the  mother  is  placed  under  the  care 
of  local  ladies'  visiting  committees,  composed  of  groups  of  volunteer  workers  or 
friendly  visitors,  and  is  subject  to  the  same  regulation  and  strict  supervision  as  are 
provided  for  the  protection  of  children  boarded  out  with  strangers. 

There  is  no  fear  of  pauperizing  in  Australia  because  the  care  of  the  children  of 
widows,  in  fact,  of  all  dependent  children,  has  come  to  be  regarded  as  educational 
rather  than  as  charitable.  This  is  in  line  with  the  trend  of  modern  philanthropy, 
being  wholly  preventional  in  character. 

In  Vienna  the  Poor  Board  allows  the  widow  with  more  than  one  child  6  to  10 
kronin  per  week  for  each  offspring. 

Even  little  Denmark  has  kept  pace  with  the  times.  From  public  funds  relief 
is  granted  to  widows  from  $14  to  $24  per  month,  quite  an  adequate  allowance  when 
we  consider  the  purchasing  power  of  money  in  that  country.  In  the  case  of  widows 
of  railroad  employees,  the  government,  which  controls  the  roads,  allows  two-thirds 
of  the  husband's  salary  during  her  life. 

In  Germany  industrial  accident  insurance,  which  is  carried  on  mutually  by  the 
employers,  by  the  workman,  and  the  funds  of  the  empire,  has  proved  a  most  effective 
way  of  insuring  the  mother  against  dependency  when  the  breadwinner  is  taken  from 
the  home.  Hundreds  of  thousands  of  children  have  been  provided  for  without  the 
least  taint  of  charity. 

In  each  of  these  countries  the  state  has  presumably  realized  that  the  destitute 
widow  with  srnall  children  presented  a  problem  that  was  too  big  and  too  important 
to  abandon  to  the  chance  of  private  charity. 

We  can  no  longer  neglect  the  crying  need  of  tlie  children,  was  the  keynote  of  the 
Children's  Conference  in  Washington.  The  keynote  of  the  structure  we  are  trying  to 
erect  is  the  crying  need  of  our  widoived  mothers.  To  keep  the  home  intact  and  avoid 
commitment  is  our  policy.  Every  family  in  our  charge  is  granted  a  sufincient  allowance 
to  permit  the  mother  to  stay  at  home  and  devote  herself  to  the  care  of  her  children. 
The  relief  is  also  permanent,  that  is,  until  one  or  more  of  the  children  can  support 
the  family.  Our  work  is  boarding  in  children  with  their  mothers  instead  of  boarding 
out  children  with  foster  mothers.  We  endeavor  to  raise  the  standard  of  living  by 
ample  subsidy,  by  removal  to  less  congested  districts  and  into  more  commodious  and 
better  appointed  homes,  by  elimination  of  lodgers,  and  by  expert  and  friendly  advice 
we  lead  them  to  a  better  and  more  intelligent  ordering  of  their  lives.  In  "the  case 
of  families  having  a  small  income,  the  association  supplies  the  difference  between  the 
rating  of  its  standard  of  proper  housing  and  feeding  and  the  amount  the  family  can 
earn  in  its  handicapped  condition. 

To  save  itself  from  bankruptcy,  the  private  relief  society  must  ultimately  admit 
that  it  is  incapable  of  coping  with  the  situation.  Then  we  shall  have  to  choose  between 
the  barbarous,  merciless  breaking  up  of  good  families  and  the  lawful  intervention  of 
the  State.  But  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  home  and  not  the  ort>han  asylnn:  is  the 
foundation  of  society,  that  its  own  mother  and  not  the  foster  mother  can  be  of  most 
service  to  the  child  in  its  development.  The  most  precious  of  our  natural  resources, 
the ^  family,  is  the  fundamental  social  institution,  and  the  State,  therefore,  is  the 
logical  and  the  only  competent  and  adequate  agency  to  aid  the  widowed  mother  in 
bringing  up  her  children. 

In  1897  a  bill  was  introduced  in  the  New  York  legislature  authorizing  the  Comp- 
troller to  pay  for  the  maintenance  of  children  of  mothers  compelled  by  poverty  to 
demand  their  commitment,  the  money  to  be  transmitted  to  the  woman  through  the 


237 


agency  of  a  well-known  children's  society.  The  bill  was  violently  opposed  by  private 
charity  officials,  as  some  of  you  may  remember,  but  it  is  noteworthy  that  the  vigorous 
objections  then  raised  were  against  the  terms  of  the  proposed  statute  which  was 
admittedly  objectionable,  and  not  against  the  principle  involved. 

The  State  Charities  Aid  Association  in  its  resolutions  condemning  this  bill  con- 
cluded thus : 

"Resolved,  That  we  hereby  desire  to  place  on  record  our  convictions,  that  children 
should  not  be  committed  to  institutions  for  the  sole  reason  that  their  parents  are 
destitute,  except  as  a  last  resort,  and  that  cases  of  hardship  should  be  obviated  so  far 
as  possible  through  a  more  efficient  co-operation  between  private  relief-giving  chari- 
ties and  committing  authorities  and  not  through  outdoor  relief." 

Causes  of  Poverty. 
Since  poverty  is  recognized  as  a  cause  of  congestion  and  room-crowding,  it 
seems  appropriate  to  study  some  of  the  causes  of  poverty.  Dr.  Edward  T.  Devine, 
General  Secretary  of  the  New  York  Charity  Organization  Society,  in  studying  the 
causes  of  poverty,  which  has  resulted  in  application  for  relief  to  their  society  by  5,000 
families,  gives  the  following  statement  regarding  the  disabilities  existing  in  these 
families.  He  states,  morover,  "these  are,  in  the  main,  American  families,  either  by 
birth  or  long  residence ;  they  are  not,  therefore,  as  a  body,  laboring  under  the  dis- 
advantage of  recent  arrival  in  the  country,  and  in  this  respect  they  differ  from  some 
of  the  other  groups  of  dependent  families  in  New  York  City." 

The  Principal  Disabilities  Present  in  Five  Thousand  FamiHes  in  New  York  City  Under 
the  Charge  of  the  New  York  Charity  Organization  Society. 

Number  of 
Disabilities.  Individuals      Families  Per 

Affected.       Number.         Cent. 

1  Unemployed  4,424  3,458  69. 16  f    Based 

2  Overcrowding  2,014  44 .  68  -i  on  Cases 

3  Wido\yhood ....  1,472  29.44  [  Studied- 

4  Chronic    physical    disability,    other 

than   tuberculosis   or   rheumatism  1,603  1,365  27.30 

5  Temporary  physical  disability,  other 

than  accident  or  childbirth 1,158  984  19.68 

6  More    than    three    children    under 

fourteen ....  944  18.88 

7  Intemperance  1,000  833  16.66 

8  Less  than  5  years  in  New  York  City  ....  814  16.28 

9  Tuberculosis 675  619  12.38 

10  Desertion    and    persistent    non-sup- 

port   ....  606  12.12 

11  Head  of  family  sixty  years  old,  or 

more ....  599  11.98 

12  Laziness,  shiftlessness,  etc 667  588  11.76 

13  Childbirth  363  363  7.24 

14  Rheumatism 359  347  6.94 

15  Immorality 337  256  5.12 

16  Mental  disease,  defect  or  deficiency  267  248  4.96 

17  Cruelty,  abuse,  etc 229  221  2.42 

18  Accident    201  198  3.96 

19  Untruthfulness.  unreHability   210  194  3.88 

20  Criminal  record   161  151  3.02 

21  Violent  or  irritable  temper,  etc 148  140  2.80 

22  Waywardness  of   children 160  129  2.58 

23  Disposition  to  beg 134  117  2.34 

24  Child  labor  (generally  not  illegal) .  45  42  0.84 

25  Gambling 22  22  0.44 

Overcroii'diiig. 
According  to  the  standard  we  have  adopted,  more  than  one  and  one-half  persons 
to  a  room,  we  must  assume  that  none  of  our  539  single  men  and  women,  each  of 
whom  has  at  least  one  room,  is  overcrowded,  while  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  the  867 
families  consisting  of  two  persons,  often  a  man  and  a  wife,  or  a  mother  and  child,  in 
a  furnished  room,  are  overcrowded.  In  the  case  of  these  two  groups,  single  persons 
living  alone  and  two  persons  in  a  furnished  room,  the  standard  is  of  comparatively 


238 

little  value.  There  are  sufficient  serious  objections  to  the  furnished  room  dwelling, 
but  excessive  overcrowding  is,  perhaps,  not  especially  conspicuous  among  them.  After 
we  reach  the  families  with  three  members,  however,  we  find  a  steady  increase  of 
overcrowding,  as  is  to  be  expected  with  the  increase  of  the  size  of  families,  as  families 
of  live  members  are  overcrowded  in  a  larger  proportion  of  instances  than  families  of 
six.  Nearly  all  of  the  families  with  eight,  nine  or  ten  members  are  overcrowded  accord- 
ing to  our  standard,  and  all  of  these  with  more  than  this  number,  with  a  single  excep- 
tion of  a  family  of  fourteen  occupying  ten  rooms. 

The  Charity  Organization  Society  states  that  on  November  1,  1909,  there  was 
sickness  in  713,  over  one-half  of  the  1,376  families  in  their  charge. 

United  Hebrew  Charities. 

The  United  Hebrew  Charities  gives  the  following  as  the  primary  causes  of  appli- 
cation at  the  time  first  application  was  made  during  the  fiscal  year  ending  September 
30,   1910: 

Causes  of  Distress. 

Sickness   (exclusive  of  tuberculosis) 2,221 

Tuberculosis   1,073 

Unemployment    1,348 

Insufficient   earnings    '. . .  767 

Non-support    7 

Widowhood     973 

Desertion    708 

Old  Age    339 

Accident    128 

Imprisonment    87 

Mental   Defects    39 

All   others _ 1,593 

Of  these  ("all  others")  1,593  cases,  594  were  not  cases  of  distress,  but  cases  in 
which  returns  were  made  by  the  applicants  on  loans  previously  granted  to  them. 

The  following  brief  summary  of  the  work  of  the  United  Hebrew  Charities  for 
the  year  ended  September  30,  1910,  is  very  significant : 

To  929  widows  having  1,579  children  under  14  years  of  age $66,930  00 

To  526  families  in  which  tuberculosis  was   cause  of  distress 32,575  00 

To  2,760  families  whose  distress  was  due  to  sickness,  old  age,  accident 

or   unemployment    124,044  00 

For  clothing,  coal,  medical  supplies,  furniture,  transportation,  etc 25,035  00 

To  help  people  become  self-supporting 9,991  00 

Total,  4,235   families   received $258,575  00 

All  this  is  exclusive  of  work  done  by  constituent  sisterhoods,  who  aided  1,420 
more  families,  among  whom  they  distributed  about  $100,000,  of  which  amount  subsidies 
from  the  United  Hebrew  Charities  aggregated  $26,025 ;  total  disbursed  by  United 
Hebrew  Charities  in  material  relief,  $284,600. 

We   found  permanent  employment   for  71   handicapped  persons. 

We  made  65  women  partly  or  wholly  self-supporting  through  our  splendidly 
equipped   work   room. 

Administration  expense  was  14  per  cent,  of  the  total  disbursements  less  than  one- 
half  of  the  largest  non-Jewish  organizations  doing  similar  work. 
Number  of  families  applying  for  aid  to  United  Hebrew  Charities  for  fiscal 

year  ending  September,  1910 9,283 

Number  of  individuals  represented   in  above 43,821 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  Society  itself  gave  in  relief  ot  various  kinds  total  of 
$284,600  to  4,235,  or  an  average  of  $6,720;  while  the  constituent  sisterhoods  gave 
about  $74,000  to  1,420  more  families,  or  an  average  of  $52.11. 

The  Society  note  that  their  administrative  expenses  were  only  14  per  cent,  of  the 
total  disbursement,  less  than  one-half  of  the  largest  non-Jewish  organization  doing 
similar  work. 

SuMM.vRY  OF  "The  D.anish  Poor  Relief  System"  by  Edith  Sellers.  Prepared  for 
the  Committee  on  Charities  of  The  New  York  City  Commission  on  Congestion 
OF  Population. 

Administration. 
In  all  Denmark,  except  Copenhagen,  the  administration  of  all  poor  relief,  both 
old  age  as  well  as  pauper,  is  vested  in  the  local  authorities  to  whom  are  attached  paid 
officials  and  honorary  officials. 

In  Copenhagen,  with  its  population  of  about  500,000,  the  administration  of  poor 


239 

relief  is  entirely  in  the  hands  of  paid  ofticials  and  vested  in  a  department  presided 
over  by  the  Third  Section  Burgomaster,  appointed  to  office  by  the  Municipal  Council, 
subject  to  the  veto  of  the  king. 

P'or  poor  law  purposes  the  city  is  divided  into  twelve  districts,  arranged  in  three 
groups  of  four  districts  each.  Each  district  is  under  the  care  of  a  District  Superin- 
tendent, and  a  group  is  under  that  of  a  Group  Inspector.  Both  the  Superintendents  and 
the  Group  Inspectors  are  always  specially  trained  and  devote  all  their  time  to  their 
work.  A  Local  or  District  Superintendent  has  nothing  to  do  with  old  age  relief,  or  the 
public  charities,  it  is  only  pauper  relief  that  he  distributes. 

The  Group  Inspector  is  directly  responsible  to  the  Burgomaster  for  the  Poor  Law 
administration  of  his  four  districts,  he  watches  over  the  Superintendents  and  revises 
their  accounts,  and  is  chief  of  the  Special  Bureau  that  administers  the  Old  Age  Relief 
Law. 

General  Principles. 

The  fundamental  principle  of  the  Danish  Poor  Law  Relief  is  that  every  desti- 
tute person  has  a  right  to  relief,  and  almost  equally  fundamental  principle  is  that 
those  wdio  require  relief  through  no  fault  of  their  own  should  have  better  relief  than 
those  who  tlirough  their  own  laziness,  wastefulness,  drunkenness  or  wantonness,  are 
in  need  of  relief,  the  former  class  are  entitled  to  relief,  the  latter  class  are  paupers. 

The  distinction  is  vital  and  obtains  throughout  the  entire  system  of  Danish 
relief. 

Denmark  prefers  to  spend  money  on  warding  off  pauperism  rather  than  on  re- 
lieving paupers. 

The  most  important  features  of  the  Danish  Poor  Relief  System. 

i.     The  classification  of  paupers. 

2.  The  poorhouse. 

3.  The  workhouse. 

4.  The  pepal  wotkhouse. 

5.  The  treatment  of  children. 

6.  The   old   age  relief   law. 

7.  The  destitution  test. 

8.  Outdoor  pensioners. 

9.  Old  age  homes. 

Every  town  or  commune  is  primarily  responsible  for  its  own  poor  alone. 

Pauper  relief  is  regarded  in  Denmark  not  as  a  gift,  but  a  loan,  and  the  one  re- 
ceiving it  becomes  a  debtor  to  the  community.  Any  man  who  leaves  his  family  un- 
provided for  may,  if  they  obtain  relief,  be  treated  as  a  pauper  and  sent  to  the  work- 
house, even  if  he  has  refused  to  apply  for  or  accept  relief.  Persons  in  Denmark  can 
be  forced  to  go  not  only  to  a  penal  workhouse,  but  to  an  ordinary  workhouse. 

1.     The  Classification  of  Paupers. 

The  Poor  Law  Act  of  1891  requires  local  authorities  "to  take  measures  to  secure 
that  destitute  persons  be  not  left  without  the  necessaries  of  life  or,  in  case  of  illness, 
without  proper  treatment  and  nursing."  They  must  house  these  persons,  feed  them, 
clothe  them  and  tend  them,  unless  they  prefer  to  provide  them  with  the  money  with 
which  to  do  these  things  themselves,  but  the  poor  law  authorities  have  practically  a 
free  hand  to  carry  out  their  duty  in  their  own  way.  They  may  not  "farm"  out  the 
paupers  nor  send  them  to  live  in  turn  with  each  of  the  rate-payers. 

The  Poor  Law  authorities  decide  where  a  pauper  should  live,  whether  in  his  own 
district  or  another,  or  in  a  workhouse,  and  in  which  one  of  the  three  grades  of  the 
workhouse. 

Even  if  the  local  authorities  grant  him  out-relief  he  is  under  their  control.  If 
admitted  as  a  pauper  to  the  workhouse,  he  cannot  go  in  and  out,  but  may,  under  proper 
arrangements  for  appeal,  be  detained. 

2.     The  Poorhouse.  _    ' 

The  Poorhouse  in  Denmark  is  reserved  for  the  respectable  and  those  either  old 
or  incurably  invalided,  and  as  a  convalescent  home  for  the  feeble.  Widows  with 
children  are  sometimes  sent  here  also,  but  the  disreputable  are  not  permitted  to  be 
placed  in  the  poorhouse,  nor  are  imbeciles.  The  poorhouse  at  Copenhagen  stands  in 
a  beautiful  garden  and  has  accommodations  for  2,000  people,  men  living  on  one  side 
of  the  house  and  women  on  the  other,  while  twenty-four  rooms  are  reserved  for  mar- 
ried couples,  and  a  wing  for  incurables.     There  are  three  classes: 

(a)  The  very  respectable,  who  have  just  missed  ranking  as  pensioners. 

(b)  The   fairly  respectable. 

(c)  The  third  class  who  have  been  weighed  in  the  balance  and  found  wanting. 
This  third  class  have  no  privileges  or  freedom,  but  can  get  promoted  by  their  own 
o-ood  behavior,  just  as  those  who  do  not  conduct  themselves  properly  in  the  higher 


240 

classes  are  put  into  this  third  class.     No  one  is  obliged  to  work,  but  if  they  do  worlc 
they  are  paid  for  it. 

3.  The  Workhouse. 

The  workhouse  is  of  two  kinds.  In  one  the  inmates  work  on  the  land,  in  the  other 
they  are  employed  in  workshops.  In  Denmark  all  paupers  above  eighteen  (18)  may 
be  sent  to  a  workhouse,  and  as  a  general  rule  if  able-bodied  are  sent  there.  Even  in 
these  institutions  a  classification  is  made,  and  the  better  behaved  secure  recognition. 
The  inmates  are  encouraged  to  look  for  work  and  are  paid  for  work  they  do  in  the 
institution,  but  all  are  obliged  to  do  something.  In  both  classes  of  workhouses,  that 
is  in  those  to  which  the  confirmed  loafers  as  well  as  merely  the  paupers  are  sent,  there 
are  workshops  of  every  kind,  all  carefully  organized  and  managed  by  industrial  ex- 
perts, according  to  the  most  approved  modern  principles.  Tailoring,  shoemaking. 
carpentering,  bookbinding,  weaving,  glass  blowing,  metal  working  and  locksmiths' 
work  are  always  carried  on  in  the  two  workhouses  in  Copenhagen,  as  well  as  usually 
paper  hanging,  painting  and  building.  (The  system  seems  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
Elmira  Reformatory.) 

4.  The  Penal  Workhouse. 

The  penal  workhouse  is  maintained  primarily  for  the  benefit  of  professional 
loafers,  vagrants,  etc.,  men  and  women  alike.  A  penal  workhouse  is  usually  main- 
tained jointly  by  several  communes,  and  since  1891  they  have  succeeded  in  practically 
eliminating  vagrancy.  Even  here  the  occupants  are  required  to  work  productively  and 
must  keep  half  of  what  they  earn  until  the  time  comes  for  them  to  leave  the  institu- 
tion. 

5.  Care  of  Children. 

The  weakest  part  of  the  Danish  poor  law  system  is  the  fact  that  children  are 
kept  in  some  poorhouses  temporarily  until  other  arrangements  are  made  for  them.  All 
children,  however,  who  are  supported  by  the  community,  whether  living  with  their 
parents  or  not,  are,  until  they  are  eighteen,  under  the  direct  guardianship  of  the  au- 
thorities, who  have  the  right  to  remove  them,  if  necessary,  from  their  parents.  Many 
children  are,  however,  relieved  in  their  homes  with  their  parents,  and  all  others,  where 
suitable  homes  can  be  found  for  them,  are  boarded  out,  if  possible,  with  someone 
who  keeps  a  cow.  An  interesting  interchange  of  country  and  city  children  is  obtained 
by  the  custom  of  sending  thousands  of  workingmen's  children  from  the  ctities  down 
into  the  country  during  the  summer,  while  during  the  winter  the  children  of  the  hosts 
during  the  summer  are  sent  into  Copenhagen  as  the  guests  of  parents  whose  children 
have  been  cared  for  by  them  during  the  summer.  This  is  not  under  the  poor  law, 
however,  and  the  railroads  give  free  transportation  to  the  children. 

6.  The  Old  Age  Relief  Law. 

Denmark  deals  firmly  with  the  young  who  will  not  work  in  order  that  it  may  deal 
justly,  too,  with  the  old  age  who  have  tried  and  done  their  best  to  support  themselves, 
but  have  not  been  able  to  save  even  a  competence.  In  the  same  session  in  which  the 
Danish  legislature  passed  the  Poor  Law  Reform  Bill  enabling  the  authorities  to  deal 
sternly  with  the  vagrant  it  passed  also  the  Old  Age  Relief  Bill,  by  which  the  aged  re- 
spectable poor  were  removed  once  for  all  from  the  jurisdicticw  of  the  Poor  Law  and 
a  special  system  of  relief  was  instituted  for  their  benefit 

"By  this  law,  if  a  Danish  subject  who  has  completed  his  sixtieth  year  is  'unable' 
to  provide  himself  or  those  dependent  on  h'm  with  the  necessaries  of  life  or  with 
proper  treatment  in  case  of  illness,  he  maj',  if  he  choose,  instead  of  applying  for  pauper 
relief,  apply  for  old  age  relief.     For  this  relief  to  be  granted  to  him  however : 

(1)  "He  must  not  have  been  convicted  of  any  crime,  or  of  any  transaction  gen- 
erally accounted  dishonorable,  in  respect  of  which  he  has  not  received  rehabilitation. 

(2)  "His  poverty  must  not  be  the  consequence  of  any  action  by  which  he,  for  the 
benefit  of  his  children  or  others,  has  deprived  himself  of  his  means  of  subsistence,  and 
it  must  not  be  caused  by  a  disorderly  or  extravagant  mode  of  life,  or  be  in  any  way 
brought  about  by  his  own  fault. 

(3)  "For  the  ten  years  preceding  his  application  for  old-age  relief  he  must  have 
had  a  fixed  residence  in  the  country :  and  during  that  time  he  must  not  have  received 
pauper  relief,  or  have  been  found  guilty  of  vagrancy  or  begging. 

(4)  "Also,  this  clause,  it  must  be  noted,  did  not  form  part  of  the  law  in  its  original 
form-;  it  was  added  to  it  in  1902,  'he  must  not  have  led  a  life  such  as  to  cause  scandal, 
he  must  not  have  been  convicted  of  drunkenness  or  of  immorality.' 

"In  order  to  obtain  old  age  relief,  in  fact,  an  applicant  must  prove  that  he  be- 
longs to  the  respectable  poor  class,  and  that  his  poverty  is  owing  to  his  misfortune, 
not  his  fault.  If  in  this  he  succeeds  he  takes  rank  as  a  pensioner:  otherwise  he  falls 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Poor  Law,  and  becomes  a  pauper.     Thus  the  aged  poor 


241 

in  Denmatk  are  now  divided  into  two  distinct  classes,  the  pensioners  and  the  paupers, 
the  deserving  and  the  undeserving;  and  the  two  classes  are  kept  entirely  apart." 

When  this  law  was  passed  in  1891  three-quarters  of  the  workers  in  rural  districts 
were  earning  less  than  $120  a  year. 

In  Copenhagen  the  administration  of  the  Old  Age  Reform  Law  is  in  the  hands 
of  three  Group  Inspectors,  each  of  whom  has  his  own  staff  of  assistant  officials,  and 
his  own  Bureau  quite  apart  from  the  ordinary  Poor  Law  Bureau. 

The  terms  for  granting  this  relief  are  quite  strict.  In  1892  the  first  year  the  law 
was  in  force,  out  of  5,339  applications  for  old  age  relief  that  were  sent  in  1,019  were 
refused,  whereas  in  1903.  out  of  the  1,358  applications  sent  in,  only  158  were  rejected. 

Any  applicant  living  in  a  town  whose  claim  to  old-age  relief  is  refused,  has  the 
right  to  appeal  to  the  Minister  of  the  Interior,  if  living  in  a  rural  commune  to  the 
Chairman  of  the   County  Council. 

The  Burgomaster,  with  the  help  of  the  Old  Age  Committee  (composed  of  a 
Burgomaster,  a  member  of  the  municipal  Council  and  the  three  Group  Inspectors),  not 
only  decide  who  shall  receive  old-age  relief,  but  also  what  form  it  shall  assume,  for 
the  law  gives  them  latitude  in  this  respect  and  stipulates  that  the  relief  granted  may  be 
given  in  money  or  in  kind,  as  circumstances  require,  or  consist  in  free  admission  to  a 
suitable  asylum  or  other  establishment  intended  for  the  purpose.  When  applicants 
have  become  pensioners,  the  three  inspectors  become  their  guardians,  and  see  that  they 
conduct  themselves  properly,  for  if  any  of  them,  after  receiving  old  age  relief,-  com- 
mit any  action  which  if  committed  before  would  have  prevented  receiving  it.  such  as 
drinking  or  squandering  their  money,  they  forfeit  rank  as  pensioners  and  become 
paupers.  A  man  also  forfeits  rank  as  pensioner  if,  after  he  is  granted  old  age  relief 
he  marries  and  in  consequence  requires  more  relief.  In  rural  districts  the  administra- 
tion of  the  old  age  relief  law  is  under  the  control  of  the  Chairman  of  the  County 
Council,  and  in  towns  under  that  of  the  Minister  of  the  Interior. 

Form  of  Application  for  Old  Age  Relief. 

Old-Age  Relief.  No. 

Schedule  A.     For  Men  and  Unmarried  Women. 

Application  for  Old-Age  Relief  under  the  Law  of  April  9,  1891,  to  Commune  of 
Copenhagen,  from 
Full  Name  and  Position. 
Living  at. 
Born  in  Parish  County. 

The  following  questions  must  be  answered  as  fully  as  possible;  and  certificate.^ 
of  identity  and  other  documents  procurable  by  the  applicant  in  confirmation  of  the 
statements  made,  must  be  enclosed. 

1.  Has  the  applicant  during  the  last  ten  years  resided  uninterruptedly  in  this 
country?    And  if  so,  where?    And  for  how  long  in  each  place? 

2.  Has  the  applicant  during  the  last  ten  years  received  any  kind  of  pauper  relief 
for  himself,  or  his  wife,  his  legitimate  or  illegitimate  children,  adopted  children  or 
step-children;  and  if  he  has.  in  what  form?  When  was  it  given  and  by  what  com- 
mune? 

3.  Has  the  applicant  during  the  last  ten  years  been  convicted  of  vagrancy  or 
begging? 

4.  Has  the  applicant  ever  been  convicted  of  any  crime?  If  so,  when  and  of 
what  crime? 

5.  Which  Commune  does  the  applicant  consider  the  Commune  from  which  he 
is  entitled  relief? 

6  The  number  of  the  members  of  the  family,  and  the  age  of  each  member  of 
the  family. 

Does  the  applicant  live  alone,  or  with  relatives,  or  others?  If  with  others,  with 
whom  ? 

Schedule  B.  For  Widows  and  Divorced  or  Separated  Wives  does  not  differ 
materially  from  Schedule  A. 

8.  (a)  What  is  the  occupation  of  the  applicant,  and  also  of  the  members  of  his 
family? 

(b)  The  approximate  total  amount  of  the  income  of  the  applicant  and  of  the 
members  of  his  family  for  the  last  year? 

(c)  How  much  of  this  income  is  derived  from  a  pension,  or  annual  allow- 
ance, interests,  legacies,  real  estate,  gifts,  or  similar  sources  of  income? 

9.  Has  the  applicant  any  prospect  of  aid  from  relatives  or  others?  Or  has  he 
any  expectation  of  any  inheritance? 


242 

10.  The  property  of  the  applicant?  (Capital,  real  estate,  right  to  yearly  allow- 
ance,  chattels,  outstanding  claims,  etc.,   stating  the  approximate  value.) 

11.  The  debts  of  the  applicant? 

12.  What  was  the  applicant's  house  rent  during  the  last  year? 

13.  The  cause  of  the  applicant's  poverty?  Full  information  concerning  the 
health  of  himself  and  his  wife,  and  their  capacity  for  work,  etc. 

14.  What  amount  of  relief  does  the  applicant  require,  and  in  what  form  would 
he  wish  the  relief  to  be  given  ? 

15.  Other  information  which  the  applicant  himself  deems  it  necessary  to  give. 

I  hereby  declare  that  to  the  best  of  my  belief  all  the  answers  given  to  the  above 
questions  are  correct  and  given  without  reservation,  and  in  such  a  form  as  to  be  in 
accordance  with  the  truth. 

Date. 

Signature. 

Residence. 

We,  the  undersigned,  who  are  personally  acquainted  with  the  circumstances  of 
the  applicant,  certify  that  his  poverty  is  not  the  consequence  of  any  action  by  which 
he,  for  the  benefit  of  his  children  or  others,  has  deprived  himself  of  his  means  of 
subsistence ;  and  that  it  has  not  been  caused  by  a  disorderly  or  extravagant  mode  of 
life,  or  been  in  any  way  brought  about  by  his  own  fault. 

Date. 

Signatures. 

Residences. 

N.  B. — That  the  relief  which  it  may  be  necessary  to  grant  the  applicant  before 
the  question  of  his  claim  to  old-age  relief  has  been  finally  settled,  will  be  considered 
as  pauper  relief  should  this  claim  be  refused. 

The  first  declaration  is  signed  of  course  by  the  applicant  himself,  and  the  seconcT 
by  two  rate-payers  who  know  him  personally,  and  are  acquainted  with  his  circum- 
stances. Should  the  form  when  handed  in  be  found  to  contain  any  false  statement 
on  the  part  of  the  applicant,  he  forfeits  forever  any  claim  he  may  have  had  to  rank  as 
a  pensioner,  and  may  be  sent  to  prison  for  a  fortnight.  His  witnesses,  too,  are  pun- 
ished, unless  they  can  prove  that  they  had  good  reasons  for  believing  that  the  state- 
ments to  which  they  testified  were  true. 

7.  The  Destitution  Test. 

The  Danish  law  provides  that  in  order  to  obtain  old-age  relief  an  applicant  must 
be  "without  the  means  of  providing  himself  or  those  dependent  on  him,  with  the 
necessaries  of  life,  or  with  proper  treatment  in  case  of  illness,"  and  when  the  law 
first  came  into  force  certain  jurists  claimed  that  this  meant  that  if  he  had  any  little 
savings  he  must  spend  them  before  relief  could  be  given  him. 

The  Minister  of  the  Interior  decided  however  that  this  would  merely  put  a 
premium  upon  thriftlessness.  In  1902  the  law  was  amended  so  that  for  old-age 
relief  the  local  authorities  "must  leave  out  of  consideration  any  income  or  house 
accommodation  he  may  possess  from  private  sources  up  to  the  value  of  100  kroner" 
(about  $29  a  year),  and  they  are  also  allowed  if  they  deem  it  advisable  to  leave  out 
of  consideration  any  income  he  may  have  from  an  annuity,  a  legacy,  a  pension,  or 
any  dwelling  accommodation  which  he  may  possess  up  to  an  equal  amount.  If  he 
has  received  any  pauper  relief  during  the  ten  years  that  precede  his  application  for 
old-age  relief  he  is  ineligible  for  such  relief. 

8.  Outdoor  Pensioners. 

Although  the  law  permits  local  authorities  to  determine  whether  old-age  relief 
shall  be  given  in  money  or  kind,  or  consist  in  admission  to  some  suitable  asylum  the 
law  requires  that  the  pension  they  give  "shall  be  sufficient  for  the  support  of  the  per- 
son relieved  and  of  his  family  and  for  their  treatment  in  case  of  illness." 

The  custom  is  to  give  these  adequate  allowance  or  old-age  pensions  to  such  pen- 
sioners as  are  either  strong  enough  to  take  care  of  themselves,  or  have  relatives  or 
friends,  able  and  willing  to  take  care  of  them.  In  each  separate  town  or  commune  the 
local  authorities  determine  what  is  "sufficient  for  the  support  of  the  person  relieved"; 
this  of  course  varies  from  town  to  town. 

In  Copenhagen,  the  average  old-age  pension  is  about  $47  for  a  married  couple 
and  $38.25  for  a  single  person,  while  in  rural  districts  is  respectively  about  $30 
and  $22. 

In  addition  the  pensioners  receive  in  case  of  illness  medical  attendance,  medicine 
and  whatever  else  the  doctor  orders  for  them.  Most  of  the  pensioners,  too,  either 
have  some  supplementary  income  or  are  able  to  earn  a  little. 


243 

9.     Old-Age  Homes. 

So  long  as  pensioners  are  fairly  vigorous  they  generally  prefer  to  live  ir  their 
own  homes.  When  they  are  too  feeble  to  do  this  however  they  have  recourse  to  old- 
age  homes.  These  are  reserved  exclusively  for  old-age  pensioners,  and  no  paupers 
are  admitted  on  the  principle  stated  by  the  Director  of  the  Copenhagen  Poor  Depart- 
ment. "It  is  sheer  waste  of  time  and  money  trying  to  make  decent  old  folk  com 
fortable,  if  you  shut  them  up  with  folk  that  are  not  decent." 

The  pensioners  are  taught  to  look  upon  these  homes  as  their  right,  so  long  as 
they  conduct  themselves  properly.  Instead  of  great  dormitories  all  the  inmates  sleep 
(in  the  Copenhagen  home)  in  bedrooms  accommodating  two,  three,  five  or  a  maximum 
of  six  persons,  while  the  smoking  rooms  and  sitting  rooms  are  common  property. 
Each  married  couple  has  a  separate  room.  Their  food  is  nutritious  but  simple  and 
tasteful. 

The  institution  is  in  the  midst  of  a  great  garden. 

Statistics. 

On  January  1,  1893,  when  the  law  had  been  in  force  one  year,  30,957  persons 
were  in  receipt  of  old-age  relief,  and  they  had  dependent  on  them  chiefly  wives — 12,869 
more,  or  a  total  of  43,826.  On  January  1,  1902,  there  were  in  all  Denmark  44,118 
pensioners,  6,593  belonged  to  Copenhagen,  and  28,462  to  rural  communes.  In  1891  the 
population  of  Denmark  proper  was  2,449,540,  and  approximately  1.8  per  cent,  of  the 
total  population,  and  17.8  per  cent,  of  the  population  above  60  were  in  receipt  of 
old-age  relief,  or  counting  the  dependents,  nearly  one-fourth  of  the  population  over 
60  years  of  age,  and  about  2  1-2  per  cent,  of  the  total  population. 

The  total  cost  of  old-age  relief  in  Denmark  in  1901,  counting  administration  as 
well  as  relief,  was  about  $1,534,150. 

I^OREiGN  City  Farm  Colonies. 
In  foreign  countries  Municipal  Farm  Colonies  are  usually  a  part  of  a  system,  there 
being  several  or  at  least  one  state  colony  and  the  city  institutions  related  to  these. 

An  important  Labor  Colony  is  the  one  conducted  by  London  at  HoUesley  Bay, 
described  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Beveridge. 

"The  first  is  the  attempt  to  remove  men  altogether  from  the  urban  labor  market 
by  training  for  new  occupations  on  the  land.  The  most  noteworthy  example  of  this 
is  the  farm  colony  established  by  the  London  Unemployed  Fund  in  February,  1905,  at 
Hollesley  Bay,  in  Suffolk.  This  colony,  which  has  now  been  purchased  by  the  Central 
Body  for  London,  comprises  a  total  area  of  1,300  acres,  600  being  arable,  250  heath 
and  the  residue  pasture,  woodland,  etc.,  and  has  living  and  sleeping  accommodations 
for  nearly  350  persons.  At  its  commencement  three  main  objects  were  laid  down : 
"1.  The  provision  of  special  work  for  periods  of  exceptional  distress.  _ 
"2.  The  provision  of  more  continuous  work  for  men  who  are  not  only  in  excep- 
tional need  of  work,  but  who  either  have  already  lived  upon  the  land,  or  show  a 
marked  aptitude  for  country  life. 

"3.  The  establishment  of  suitable  men  and  families  in  agricultural  or  other  rural 
industry,  in  various  forms,  e.  g. : 

"(a)  Ordinary  farm  situations,  preferably  in  districts  where  wages  and  condi- 
tions are  good  and  where  a  movement  towards  small  holdings,  allotments,  market 
gardening,  co-operative  farming,  etc.,  is  developing. 

"(b)   Market  gardening  or  ordinary  gardener's  situations. 

"(c)  The  establishment  of  small  holdings  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  colony  or 
elsewhere  (either  with  or  without  some  intervening  period  of  service  elsewhere  under 
'a'  or  "b').    This  will  be  the  hope  held  out  to  the  picked  men  on  the  colony. 
"(d)   Emigration." 
In  the  administration  of  the  colony,  emphasis  has  been  more  and  more  laid  on  the 
third  object  and  particularly  on  the  establishment  of  men  on  co-operative  small  hold- 
ings.    The  Central  Body  has  not,  however,  been  able  itself  to  establish  small  holdings, 
the  Local  Government  Board  having  ruled  that  this  was  a  purpose  outside  the  scope 
of  the  Unemployed  Workmen  Act,  and  great  difficulties  have  been  experienced  in  plac- 
ing the  men  elsewhere.     "The  settlement  of  men  in  ordinary  farm  situations,  para- 
graph 3   (a),  or  in  market  gardening  or  ordinary  gardener's  situations,  paragraph  3 
(b),  has  proved  in  most  cases  impossible.     Consequently,  the  only  considerable  outlet 
for  the  men  trained  at  Hollesley  Bay  has  been  that  mentioned  in  paragraph  3  (d),  i.  e., 
emigration."     (Note,  pp.  181  and  182.) 


244 


Statement  of  Number  of  Public  and  Private  Societies  and  Organizations  in  New  York 
City  Dealing  With  Different  Classes  in  1907. 
(Prepared  by  the  New  York  Charity  Organization  Society.) 
In  1908  the  total  number  of  societies  in  the  City,  including  all  those   receiving 
state  or  municipal  aid,  was  2,868;  in  1909,  2,566. 


Classified  List. 


Manhattan  Bklyn 

and         and       Rich- 
Bronx.    Queens,    mond. 


38 


116 

59 

1 

82 

12 

3 

80 

9 

3 

15 

3 

2 

36 

3 

30 

3 

54 

1 

1 

10 

1 

1 

475 


91 


74 
10 

29 
4 

2 
1 

9 

3 

93 

Z6 

3 

Class  I.  Care  and  Relief  of  Needy  Families  in  Their 
Homes — 

Div.  1.     Relief  by  Employment 

Div.  .2.  Feed,  P^uel,  Clothing  and  General  Relief,  includ- 
ing Transportation   

Div.  3.     Day  Nurseries   and   Kindergartens 

Div.  4.     Fresh-Air  Charities    

Div.  5.     Legal  Aid  and  Advice 

Div.  6.     Relief  for  National  Calamities 

Div.  7.     Relief   for  Foreigners 

Div.  8.  Special  Relief  for  Various  Classes,  Callings, 
and  Professions 

Div.  9.     Nursing  and  Care  of  the  Sick  in  their  homes. . . . 

Div.  10.     Burials    

Total 

Class  II.  Relief  for  Destitute,  Neglected  and  Delinquent 
Children — 

Div.  1.  Asylums,  Homes  and  Cheap  Lodgings  for  Chil- 
dren     

Div.  2.     Children's   Societies    

Div.  3.  Children's  Courts,  Probation  Work  and  Refor- 
matories for  Children 

Totals 

Class   III.     Relief   in    Permanent   and   Temporary    Homes 
for  Adults— 
Div.  1.     Municipal,  State  and  National   Home  for  Des- 
titute Adults    

Div.  2.     Private  Homes  for  Adults 

Div.  3.     Situations  with  Free  Board,  also  with  Free  and 
Cheap  Lodgings  

Totals    

Class  IV.     Relief  for  the  Sick— 

Div.  1.     General  Hospitals^ 

Div.  2.     General  Dispensaries 

Div.  3.  Special  Hospitals,  Dispensaries  and  Associa- 
tions, also  Homes  for  Convelescents 

Div.  4.     Hospitals  and  Homes  for  Incurables 

Div.  5.  Women's.  Children's  and  Lying-in  Hospitals  and 
Women's  and  Children's  Dispensaries 

Div.  6.  Training  Schools,  Homes  and  Agencies  for 
Nurses 

Div.  7.  Visitation  of  and  Diet  and  Aid  for  Sick  in  In- 
stitutions     

Div.  8.    Medical  Colleges,  Schools  and  Societies 

Div.  9.     Ambulances     

Totals 

Class  V.     Relief  for  the  Defective — 
Div.  1.     Relief,   Homes,  Asylums  and   Societies   for  the 
Blind    


16 

1 

1 

39 

13 

2 

60 

18 

2 

115 

29 

5 

35 

29 

2 

39 

38 

1 

60 

16 

1 

12 

4 

38 

8 

21 

11 

1 

7 

1 

2 

33 

15 

14 

16 

1 

259 

122 

8 

245 


Classified  List. 


Manhattan  Bklyn. 

and         and       Rich- 
Bronx.    Queens,    mond. 


Div.  2.     Relief,  Homes,  Asylums  for  Deaf  Mutes 8 

Div.  3.     Relief  for  Cripples,  including  Hospitals,  Homes 

and  Societies    21 

Div.  4.     Relief,  Asylums  and  Schools  for  Insane,  Feeble- 
minded and  Epileptic 16 

Totals 

Class  VI.     Treatment  of  Delinquent  Adults — 

Div.  1.     Reformatories  for  Men 

Div.  2.     Reformatories    for    Women 

Div.  3.     Probation  Work,   Prison  Associations   and   So- 
cieties of  Crime 

Totals 

Class  VII.     Preventive  Social  Work — 

Div.  1.     Savings  and  Loans 

Div.  2.     Beneficial    Societies    

Div.  3.     Education  and  Special  Training 

Div.  4.     Improvement  of  Social  Conditions 

Div.  5.     Settlements    

Div.  6.     Clubs 

Div.  7.     Libraries,  Reading  Rooms  and  Museums 

Totals 

Class  VIII.     Supervisory  and  Educational  Work — 
Div.  1.     State  and  Municipal  Boards  and  Departments.. 
Div.  2.     Private    Associations    for    the    Improvement    of 
State  and  Municipal  Institutions  and  Departments.... 

Div.  3.     Conferences  of  Charities  and  Correction 

Div.  4.     Special  Training  in  Social  Work 

Totals 39 


57 

12 

4 

19 

4 

12 

3 

35 

7 

49 

3 

1 

55 

15 

110 

23 

12 

9 

41 

12 

51 

8 

33 

10 

1 

311 

80 

2 

23 

8 

2 

10 

1 

4 

2 

There  are  also  653  churches  of  different  denominations  in  Manhattan  and  The 
Bronx;  479  in  Brooklyn  and  Queens  and  68  in  Richmond.  In  addition  there  are  167 
Societies  for  Religious  and  Moral  Work  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx,  42  in  Brook- 
lyn and  Queens  and  one  in  Richmond. 

Summary  of  Report  of  School  Feeding  Made  by  the  Department  of  Child  Hygiene 
OF  THE  Russell  Sage  Foundation. 

The  New  York  School  Lunch  Committee  reports  the  following  as  a  part  of  the 
results  of  an  investigation  of  the  home  conditions  of  262  children  that  have  come  under 
its  observation:  A  large  part  of  the  children  were  adjudged  to  be  suffering  from  mal- 
nutrition by  a  Medical  Inspector  of  the  Department  of  Health. 

In  221  families,  21  mothers  worked  outside  the  home  and  were  not  at  home  to 
prepare  the  noon  lunches.  This  represents  9.5  per  cent.of  the  mothers.  This  cor- 
responds fairly  well  with  the  result  of  another  investigation  made  at  School  51, 
where  it  was  found  that  200  or  10  per  cent,  of  the  children  had  no  one  at  home  to 
prepare  a  noon  lunch  for  them  and  in  consequence  were  getting  their  lunches  on 
the  street  or  in  the  small  stores  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  school. 

In  258  families  there  were  60  which  had  no  prepared  lunches  at  noon  for  the 
children,  or  21.2  per  cent,  of  the  families.  Of  the  families  of  130  children  taking  the 
lunches  at  school,  48  or  38  per  cent,  had  no  lunches  available  for  them  at  home. 

The  daily  food  supplied  to  the  children  was  estimated  approximately  from  da^-^ 
given  by  the  parents  or  caretakers  of  the  children.  In  222  families  157  were  supply, 
ing  insufficient  food.  This  represents  71  per  cent,  of  the  families  under  observation. 
Of  141  children  taking  the  lunches  at  school,  108  or  17  per  cent,  had  insufficient  food 
at  home.  This  estimate  was  also  supported  by  noting  that  the  children  in  this  group 
fell  below  the  weight  gained  by  the  children  with  sufficient  food  at  home. 


246 

The  use  of  tea  and  coffee  among  school  children  is  the  greatest  dietary  abuse. 
The   following  table  shows  the  findings   for  226  children. 

Per  Cent. 

Tea  or  coffee  once  each  day 131  58 

Tea  or  coffee  more  than  once  each  day 79  35 

No  tea   or   coffee 16  7 

Another  indication  of  the  home  conditions,  casting  some  light  upon  the  difficulties 
of  the  mothers  in  the  matter  of  providing  sufficient  food  for  the  children  is  found 
in  the  study  of  the  room  congestion  as  noted  in  the  table  following. 

Per 
Families.         Cent. 

1  person  or  less  per  room 

1  to  1.5  persons  per  room 

1.5  to  2  persons  per  room 

2  to  2.5  persons  per  room 

2.5  to  3  persons  per  room 

Over  3  persons  per  room 

Total    

Taking  $825  as  the  necessary  yearly  income  for  a  family  of  five  to  maintain  itself 
in  an  adequate  manner,  the  following  table  shows  another  reason  for  the  malnutrition 
of  the  children  under  investigation.  The  included  data  represents  only  that  which  is 
complete,  and  no  figures  are  included  that  do  not  represent  the  total  earnings  of  the 
family  as  far  as  could  be  secured  from  the  family. 


17 

8 

47 

22 

63 

29 

39 

18 

38 

18 

13 

6 

217 

Per 
Families.         Cent. 


Income  over  $16  per  week 53  36 

Income  under  $16  per  week 93  64 

Total     146 

Of  106  families,  whose  children  were  taking  the  lunches  at  school,  there  were  11 
families  or  75  per  cent,  whose  income  fell  below  the  desired  $16  per  week. 
The  146  families  fell  into  the  following  income  groups : 

Per 
Families.         Cent. 

Income  over  $25 

Income  $20  to  $25 ' 

Income  $15  to  $20 

Income   $10   to    $15 

Income    $8    to    $10 

Income  under  $8 


16 

11 

19 

13 

22 

15 

51 

35 

14 

10 

24 

16 

Of  the  106  families  whose  children  took  the  lunches  at  school,  38  or  36  per  cent, 
were  in  the  $10  to  $15  group;  11  or  10  per  cent,  were  in  the  $8  to  $10  group;  24  or 
23  per  cent,  were  in  the  under  $8  group. 

The  benefit  of  a  single  school  lunch  has  often  been  questioned,  but  the  investigation 
of  the  effect  of  such  lunches  upon  the  weight  of  the  recipients  shows  very  well  the 
benefit  to  the  children.  While  two  groups  of  children  of  about  equal  size  were  under 
observation,  the  records  were  not  as  complete  as  desirable;  the  children  had  moved, 
remained  subject  to  the  observation  such  a  short  time  or  were  absent  too  long  to 
keep  in  the  class  for  the  period  covered  by  the  two  observations  of  data,  where 
measurements  were  required.  For  these  reasons,  one  group  who  recei^  ed  lunches 
numbered  143,  while  the  second  group  which  received  no  lunches  numbered  81,  as 
far  as  the  completed  records  were  available.  The  numbers  are  not  large,  but  the 
results  of  the  examination  are  very  suggestive  of  the  value  of  the  school  lunches. 


247 

Table    Showing  the   Degree   of    Underweight   Among   the    Children    Suffering    from 

Malnutrition. 


Age. 


Number 

of  Mal- 

Average 

Average 

nutrition 

Number  of 

Weight, 

Weight, 

Cases  at 

Children 

Pounds, 

Pounds, 

or  Above 

Malnutri- 

Normal 

Average 

tion  Cases. 

Children. 

Normal 
Weight. 

4 

37.1 

41 

10 

17 

40.5 

45 

3 

31 

42.8 

49 

5 

41 

48.9 

54 

6 

60 

53.7 

60 

13 

34 

56.7 

66 

2 

34 

62.3 

72 

1 

22 

66.0 

79 

3 

13 

72.4 

88 

1 

4 

63.0 

99 

2 

77.5 

110 

5  years , 

6  years , 

7  years 

8  years 

9  years 

10  years 

11  years 

12  jTars 

13  years 

14  j^ears 

15  years 

Total 


262 


44 


Still  in  an  investigation  of  210  malnutrition  cases,  found  that  175  had  tea  or 
cofifee  once  a  day  and  25  had  it  two  or  three  times  a  day. 

Spargo  reported  that  of  12,800  children  in  16  schools,  2,950  or  23  per  cent,  went 
to  school  without  breakfast  or  with  merely  bread  with  tea  or  coffee. 

Dr.  Lechstrecker  found  9.32  per  cent,  of  10.707  children  in  New  York  Industrial 
Schools  suffering  from  malnutrition.  He  noted  that  only  1,855  or  17.32  per  cent,  had 
an  adequate  breakfast. 

The  average  cost  for  a  family  of  five  in  the  United  States  for  alcohol,  coflfee,  tea 
and  cocoa  for  the  years  1903-1907,  was  $95. 

Of  391  families  studied  by  Chapin,  only  25  per  cent,  used  bottled  milk  and  66 
per  cent,  used  loose  milk  in  all  the  income  groups  up  to  $1,200. 

Of  318  families,  243  or  76  per  cent,  made  expenditures  for  alcoholic  drinks  at 
home ;  125  or  39.3  per  cent,  showed  an  annual  expense  for  this  purpose  of  over  $30. 

A  study  of  typical  families  in  Washington,  D.  C,  showed  that  25  per  cent,  of  the 
total  income  is  spent  for  bread  and  meat,  and  this  amount  is  60  per  cent,  of  the  entire 
food  budget. 

The  general  average  of  the  families  studied  by  Chapin  showed  that  8.3  per  cent, 
of  the  yearly  income  was  spent  for  sugar,  tea,  coffee  and  condiments,  and  6.8  per 
cent,  for  alcoholic  drinks.  There  was  only  21.5  per  cent,  of  the  income  spent  for 
eggs,  milk  and  cheese.  There  is  little  difficulty  in  understanding  why  82  or  19.5  per 
cent,  of  Chapin's  218  families  were  found  to  be  underfed. 

Chapin  found  as  the  result  of  his  investigation  that  there  was  a  large  amount 
of  underfeeding  among  the  families  of  all  income  groups. 


Families. 


Per  Cent. 
Underfed. 


$400    to    $600.. 

to    $800.. 

to  $900.. 
$900  to  $1,100. 
Over   $1,100    .. 


25 

1^ 

151 

32 

73 

22 

94 

o 

48 

The  above  table  shows  the  amount  of  underfeeding  in  the  various  income  groups. 

The  New  York  Committe  on  Physical  Welfare  found  41  per  cent,  of  malnutrition 
in  the  classes  of  children  coming  from  families  with  an  income  of  less  than  $16  per 
week. 

In  New  York  City  in  1906.  of  78,401  children  examined,  4,921  or  6.3  per  cent,  were 
suffering  from  malnutrition,  sufficiently  pronounced  to  be  noticed  by  the  inspector. 
In  1908,  c^i  219.585  children,  5,923  or  2.8  per  cent,  were  reported  as  cases  of  malnu- 


248 

trition.     During  the  same  year,  in  Manhattan,  of  89,951  children,  3,678  or  4  per  cent. 
were  reported  as  suffering  from  mahiutrition. 

Washington,  D.  C,  showed  121  ill-nourished  children  examined  to  be  suffering 
from  malnutrition. 

The  great  various  differences  existing  in  the  figures  for  malnutrition  in  different 
parts  of  the  country  are  due  to  a  variety  of  causes  as  personal  equations  of  the 
examiners,  different  standards  of  living,  and  the  fact  that  malnutrition  is  stated  as  a 
defect  only  when  no  other  defect  will  account  for  the  condition  of  the  child.  Many 
of  the  defects,  asanemia,  enlarged  glands,  etc.,  are  also  cases  of  malnutrition,  but  are 
not  included  in  that  column. 

In  an  endeavor  to  ascertain  the  percentages  of  malnutrition  in  the  schools  sup- 
plying the  children  for  the  study  on  lunches,  a  special  medical  examiner  looked  over 
957  children  in  Public  School  21,  and  1,094  children  in  Public  School  51. 

In  the  former  he  found  130  and  in  the  latter  153  children  with  malnutrition,  a 
total  of  283  or  13.3  per  cent  of  the  2,051  children  under  the  close  scrutiny  of  the 
examiner. 

Superintendent  Maxwell's  10th  report  states  that  60  per  cent,  of  defectives  suffer 
from  malnutrition. 

The  school  lunches  provide  a  means  of  off-setting  the  lack  of  proper  nourish- 
ment at  home.  The  amount  of  food  units  or  calorics  supplied  by  the  lunches  is  based 
upon  an  estimation  of  the  average  of  the  children  at  10  years,  and  the  estimation  of 
the  daily  caloric  needs  of  children  of  that  age  at  1,680  calories.  The  school  lunch 
aims  to  supply  at  the  minimum  one-fourth  of  the  day's  caloric  needs  though  it  generally 
supplies  over  one-third  and  often  one-half  of  the  daily  caloric  needs  of  the  child,  as 
can  be  seen  upon  examining  the  menus  provided  with  the  statement  of  the  caloric 
values  attached. 

A  charge  of  2  cents  is  made  for  each  lunch  provided. 

In  those  cases  where  the  parents  cannot  afford  to  pay  for  the  lunch,  the  cost  is  met 
by  relief  societies  or  by  private  philanthropy.  The  City  pays  for  the  lunches  provided 
to  the  children  in  the  special  classes  for  defectives. 

The  following  is  self-explanatory. 

Public  School  21,  number  of  lunches  served  during  1909,  31,287   (23,235). 

Public  School  51,  number  of. lunches  served  during  1909,  22,884   (23,235). 

Public  School  21,  average  daily  attendance  at  the  lunches,  162  (149). 

Public  School  51,  average  daily  attendance  at  the  lunches,  119  (121). 

Public  School  21,  cost  of  food  per  capita,  $.0326. 

Public  School  51,  cost  of  food  per  capita,  $.0242. 

Public  School  21,  average  cost  of  lunch  served,  $.0429. 

Public  School  51,  average  cost  of  lunch  served,  $.0489. 

A  previous  table  has  called  attention  to  the  gain  in  weight  of  t'he  children  taking 
the  lunches.  At  Bradford,  England,  the  especially  poor  children  were  given  three 
meals  a  day. 

During  the  first  two  weeks  the  average  gain  of  the  children  was  one  and  one- 
fourth  pounds.  At  Whitsuntide  the  children  were  at  home  for  two  weeks  and  during 
this  period,  when  they  were  having  only  the  meals  at  home  they  made  an  average  loss 
of  one  pound. 

The  causative  factors  in  malnutrition  in  children  lie  largely  in  the  home.  They 
are  a  complex,  interwoven  series  of  facts,  each  of  which  is  important  in  completing  the 
picture  of  malnutrition. 

Poverty,  alcoholism,  poor  hygiene,  physical  defects  of  children,  lack  of  dietary 
training,  extravagance  in  the  purchase  of  foods,  domestic  waste,  lack  of  maternal 
care,  employment  of  the  mothers  outside  the  home,  lack  of  training  in  cooking  and 
household  economics.  The  high  cost  of  food  to  those  who  buy  in  small  quantities  is 
an  added  factor  in  the  cases  of  the  very  poor  families.  The  use  of  tea  and  coffee 
among  children  is  a  general  factor  in  the  causation  of  underfeeding. 

1910. 
Public  School  Luncheons,  Financial  Statement. 

Periods  covered  by  this  report:  September  13,  1909,  to  June  30,  1910;  September 
13,  1909,  to  June  29,  1910. 

P.  S.  21.     P.  S.  51. 

Number  of  Days  Lunch  Provided 193  182 

Expenses.      Expenses. 

Food  Material $843  69  $666  50 

Wages  of  Cook  and  Services 384  25  348  70 

Furnishings  and  Miscellaneous    114  86  94  19 

$1,342  80       $1,109  39 


249 

Receipts.        Receipts. 

Sales  of  Food  Tickets  $476  49         $617  40 

Sales   of    Penny   Desserts 268  16  1 53  97 

$1,044  65         $771  37 

Deficit  for  193  Days $298  15  $338  02 

30  Checks  Sold   25.883  20.580 

Statistical  Analysis. 

P.  S.  21.  P.  S.  51. 

Total  Paying  Attendance  (193  days) 24,187  14,088 

Lunches  for  Services  2,702  2,304 

Free  Lunch  for  Needy — 

L     Malnutrition   Cases    2,481  4,865 

2.    Just  Needy  Cases 1,917  1,627 

Total  number  served  31,287  22,884 

Daily  Average  Paying  Attendance 125.32  73.4 

Total  Daily  Average   162  1 19 

Daily  Average  Expense $6,957  $5,778 

Daily  Average  Deficit $1 .  545  $1 .  761 

Average  Cost  per  Lunch  per  Day .0429  .0484 

Average  Income  per  Lunch  per  Day .0334  .0337 

Average  Deficit  per  Lunch  per  Day .0095  .0147 

Cost  of  Food  per  Capita 0326  .0242 

Cost  of  Services  per  Capita .01598  .0202 

Cost  of  Furnishings  and  Miscellaneous .0038  .0042 

Free  Tickets   $131.94  $194.76 

Report  of  the  Committee  on  Public  Squares  and  Buildings  of  The  New  York 
City  Commission  on  Congestion  of  Population,  Alderman  James  J.  Mulhe.a.rn, 
Chairman. 

The  Committee  have  held  three  meetings  and  examined  a  number  of  witnesses. 
It  was  the  Committee's  intention  to  prepare  a  map  showing  in  detail  the  specific  loca- 
tion of  existing  public  squares  and  buildings  and  to  make  suggestions  as  to  the  loca- 
tion of  future  public  squares  and  buildings.  In  view  of  the  fact,  however,  that  the 
Committee  have  had  no  appropriation  to  make  such  a  study  and  that  the  Board 
of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  plans  to  create  shortly  a  Commission  to  make  City 
plans  for  the  City,  the  Committee  wish  merely  to  make  certain  general  suggestions 
with  reference  to  the  decentralizing  of  the  life  of  the  City,  and  to  point  out  the  prin- 
ciples which  in  their  judgment  should  govern  the  locating  of  New  public  squares  and 
buildings.  The  creation  of  civic  centres  in  various  cities  of  this  country  and  abroad 
has  been  increasingly  recognized  as  an  important  part  of  the  City  plan.  The  most 
conspicuous  illustration  of  such  civic  centres  is  the  grouping  of  plans  of  the  City  of 
Cleveland,  which  recently  created  a  Committee  composed  of  three  members,  who 
have  been  given  absolute  power  over  the  location  of  all  public  buildings.  Their  plans 
include  the  laying  out  of  a  mall,  headed  by  the  United  States  Post  Office,  the  Custom 
Office  and  a  new  City  Hall,  while  Buffalo  has  also  been  planning  a  civic  center  by 
grouping  public  buildings,  as  have  also  Chicago,  Washington,  Baltimore.  St.  Louis, 
Milwaukee,  Minneapolis  and  many  small  cities  of  the  country.  The  main  features 
in  this  plan  have  been  the  groupings  of  these  public  buildings  to  ensure  aesthetic  and 
harmonious  settings  and  convenience  of  access  between  the  various  public  buildings, 
Federal.  State  and  Municipal.  Most  of  these  cities,  however,  differ  uniquely  from  New 
York  City  in  that  they  have  not  the  five  distinct  boroughs,  each  with  a  certain  degree 
of  home  rule  and  independence  of  action,  while  in  addition  to  the  grouping  of  public 
buildings  there  has  been  made  an  effort  in  many  of  the  cities  to  group  around  a  com- 
mon centre,  public  buildings  other  than  administration  buildings  referred  to  such  as 
school  houses,  libraries,  and  similar  place  of  concourse.  Many  better  parallels,  how- 
ever, for  New  York  City  are  to  be  found  in  the  cases  of  London,  Paris,  Berlin  Vienna 
and  Munich  among  the  important  cities  of  the  world.  Thus  London  has  27  boroughs, 
each  with  its  own  administrative  building  and  other  public  buildings.  Paris  has  in 
each  arrondissement  a  small  grouping  of  public  buildings,  while  Berlin,  Vienna  and 
Munich,  although  boasting  a  splendid   central  group  of  public  buildings  such  as  the 


250 

Ringstrasse  in  Vienna  and  the  Square  in  Munich,  yet  have  the  decentralizing  influence 
of  a  large  number  of  smaller  groups  of  public  buildings. 

In  the  plan  for  Greater  Berlin,  by  which  it  is  proposed  to  enlarge  the  area  of  the 
city  by  about  461,000  acres,  provision  is  made  for  these  civic  central  points,  each  with 
its  group  of  public  administration  buildings,  and  they  are  located  in  relation  to  the 
developement  of  the  city  and  the  existing  factory,  business  and  commercial  districts. 

It  is  true  that  New  York  City  has  a  unique  situation  since  each  of  the  boroughs 
is  composed  of  small  formerly  independent  political  communities.  With  the  enormous 
distances  of  the  City,  however,  it  is  especially  necessary  that  the  City  should  provide 
a  number  of  these  buildings  for  local  administrative  purposes.  The  method  of  ad- 
ministration has,  of  course,  an  important  bearing  upon  the  question  of  civic  centers 
and  the  location  of  public  squares  and  buildings,  since  if  there  is  a  larger  degree  of 
local  autonomy  a  larger  part  of  the  business  with  the  City  can  be  conducted  in  each 
of  the  boroughs  than  if  it  were  necessary  that  a  person  wishing  to  attend  to  official 
business  should  come  to  Manhattan  from  all  of  the  other  boroughs  of  the  City.  The 
grouping,  however,  of  public  administration  buildings  will  also  have  an  important 
bearing  upon  the  locating  of  business  and  the  creation  of  shopping,  office  and  com- 
mercial centers,  so  that  the  location  of  these  centers  should  be  determined  very  care- 
fully before  the  projection  of  new  lines  of  transit  and  in  relation  to  the  existing  devel- 
opment of  the  boroughs.  In  large  boroughs  like  Queens  and  Brooklyn  it  would  seem 
advisable  to  have  sub-stations  of  various  departments  such  as  the  Department  of 
Health,  in  several  sections  of  the  borough  and  avoid  the  time  inevitably  spent  in  coming 
to  and  from  these  centres. 

The  Committee  feel  preeminently  the  importance  of  a  definite  city  plan  in  which 
these  public  squares  and  buildings  shall  be  provided  for  and  recognize  that  such  a 
plan  must  be  made  by  a  central  governing  body  of  the  city  instead  of  following  any 
whims  or  local  interests  or  prejudices.  The  only  recommendations  therefore  that  your 
Committee  have  to  make  are  as  follows : 

Recommendations  of  the  Committee  on   Public  Squares   and   Buildings. 

First — That  a  city  plan  be  prepared  for  New  York  City  by  the  Board  of  Estimate 
and  Apportionment  Engineers  with  such  help  as  they  shall  require,  at  the  earliest  pos- 
sible moment ;  such  plans  to  be  manndatory  upon  the  City. 

Second — That  there  shall  be  in  each  Borough  at  least  one  large  place  reserved  for 
the  Public  Administration  Buildings  of  the  Borough,  such  as  Court  House,  Borough 
Hall,  Board  of  Health  and  other  departmental  offices  of  the  various  City  Departments, 
which  shall  be  reasonabh^  accessible  to  all  the  Boroughs  and  especially  to  the  existing 
commercial,  financial  and  business  districts. 

Third — -That  in  the  larger  Boroughs  there  should  be  a  series  of  sub-civic  centres 
and  grouping-s  of  Administration  Buildings. 

Fourth — That  there  should  be  in  each  Borough  an  effort  to  group  the  public  build- 
ings, such  as  school  houses,  libraries  and  similar  buildings,  with  the  exception  of 
fire  stations,  so  far  as  possible  in  a  park  or  with  open  ground  around  so  as  to  give 
adequate  setting  and  stimulate  local  interest  and  pride. 

Fifth — Although  the  Committee  recognize  that  provisions  for  Municipal  Recre- 
ation Play  Centres  with  enclosed  buildings  is  not  immediately  feasible,  they  feel  that 
the  City  before  long  will  undertake  such  provisions  and  urge  that  they  should  be  made 
part  of  this  centre. 

Sixth — The  Committee  endorse  the  principle  of  excess  condemnation  of  land  for 
acquiring  sites  for  these  buildings  in  outlying  Boroughs,  although  questioning  the 
feasibility  and  practicability  of  such  excess  condemnation  where  land  values  are  at 
present  extremely  high.  Not  only  may  this  lead  to  the  location  of  new  settlements, 
but  in  some  cases  it  will  provide  for  the  cost  of  improvements. 

Eighth — The  Committee  recommend  that  all  developing  companies  and  individuals 
should  be  compelled  to  plot  out  their  land  in  accordance  with  the  City  map. 

Ninth — The  Committee  recognize  that  the  Mayor's  Art  Commission  has  certain 
authority  in  the  City,  but  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  they  can  merely  withhold  their 
approval  from  any  public  building  on  public  land  and  that  the  City  has  in  the  past  in 
several  instances  secured  sites  for  public  buildings  and  then  have  been  compelled  to 
abandon  them  because  the  plans  were  not  approved  by  the  Mayor's  Art  Commission. 

Recommendations  of  the  Committee  on  Crime  and  Delinquency  of  the  New  York 
City  Commission  on  Congestion  of  Population,  Alderman  W.  Augustus  Shipley^ 
Chairman. 

The  Committee  has  held  three  meetings  and  examined  six  witnesses.  Various  in- 
vestigations have  been  suggested  to  them  as  to  the  bearing  of  the  question  of  rela- 
tions between  crime  and  delinquency  and  congestion  and  room  overcrowding.     It  has 


251 

been  impossible,  with  the  means  and  time  at  their  command,  to  make  such  investiga- 
tions as  the  importance  of  the  subject  requires,  but  they  nevertheless  feel,  after  hear- 
ing the  evidence  presented,  tliat  more  important  than  a  study  of  the  police  records  and 
the  statistics  of  the  Court  of  General  Sessions  and  the  Special  Sessions,  as  to  the  last 
address  given  by  those  convicted  of  the  various  crimes,  would  be  a  study  of  the  home 
conditions  of  those  convicted  of  crime  and  juvenile  delinquency. 

The  Double  Problem. 

The  Committee  have  had  a  double  problem  to  investigate — that  of  crime  and  the 
relation  between  so-called  criminals  over  16  years  of  age,  and  that  of  delinquency,  or 
the  shortcomings  or  moral  failings  of  juveniles  under  16  years  of  age,  and  congestion 
and  room  overcrowding.  They  have  studied  this  question  from  the  point  of  view  of 
the  home  surroundings,  as  known  of  both  classes  of  so-called  criminals  and  juvenile 
delinq^uents. 

The  City's   Crime  as   Serious  as  the  Criminal's   Crime. 

Nearly  every  witness  who  has  appeared  before  the  Committee  has  emphasized 
that  the  home  surroundings  of  both  the  criminal  and  juvenile  delinquents  and  the 
bad  housing  conditions,  the  lack  of  parks  and  playgrounds,  the  poverty  and  sickness 
of  the  families,  have  been  among  the  most  important,  if  not  the  most  important,  fac- 
tors in  fostering  and  producing  immoral  conduct  of  both  criminals  and  delinquents. 

The  Committee  feel  very  strongly,  therefore,  that  the  City  is  equally  as  guilty  as 
any  criminal  who  has  been  arraigned  in  Special  Sessions  and  decidedly  more  so  than 
any  juvenile  delinquent,  because  the  City  has  permitted  conditions  to  continue  through- 
out many  sections  of  the  City  which  are  largely  responsible  for  the  criminality  of  the 
children  and  often  of  the  adults.  These  conditions  the  City  could  have  and  should 
have  prevented. 

Mr.  Orlando  F.  Lewis,  Secretary  of  the  Prison  Association  of  New  York  City, 
who  appeared  before  the  Committee,  stated  that  60  per  cent,  of  the  men  sent  to 
Elmira  are  from  New  York  City,  and  most  of  them  from  the  congested  districts, 
and  that  although  one  cannot  state  definitely  that  this  is  due  to  congestion,  it  is 
true  that  the  conditions  of  congestion  and  overcrowding  predispose  to  crime.  Mr. 
Lewis  stated  that  the  result  of  the  present  methods  of  dealing  with  vagrants  and 
drunkards  in  New  York  City  is  not  calculated  to  reduce  the  number  of  vagrants. 
The  principal  objection  to  the  Municipal  Lodging  House  is  the  fact  that  there  is 
no  obligatory  work  test  and  that  many  men  remain  three  days  and  under  certain 
circumstances  and  in  many  cases  longer,  without  giving  any  return  to  the  City.  He 
stated  that  there  is  a  population  of  at  least  20,000  floaters  in  the  90  lodging  houses 
in  the  City,  which  average  125  beds  each,  and  that  there  are  at  least  5,000  or  6,000  in 
the  lodging  houses  in  Brooklyn,  while  there  are  many  thousands  who  sleep  in  the 
streets,  parks,  etc.,  so  that  the  total  number  in  the  City  is  perhaps  40,000.  Mr.  Lewis 
urged  the  endorsement  by  the  Commission  of  the  proposed  Farm  Colony  for  New 
York  State  to  accommodate  600  men,  the  maximum  committment  to  which  should 
be  not  over  one  and  one-half  years  for  the  first  offense.  Mr.  Lewis  stated  that  the 
most  serious  result  of  congestion  in  relation  to  delinquency  was  to  conduce  to  crime 
due  to  the  overcrowding  in  rooms,  and  he  felt  that  it  was  not  possible  to  control  con- 
gestion and  overcrowding  in  rooms  without  a  closer  supervision. 

Mr.  A.  Bullard,  Agent  for  the  Prison  Association,  stated : 

"I  find  it  impossible  to  separate  congestion,  poverty  and  immigration.  The 
poor  and  the  immigrants  live  in  the  congested  districts,  and  both  poverty  and  recent 
arrival  in  new  and  strange  environments  are  handicaps  to  the  struggle  for  existence, 
and  increase  the  temptations  to  crime.  My  observations  would  lead  me  to  say  that 
at  the  very  least  75  per  cent,  of  our  City  crime  originates  in  the  congested  districts." 

He  submitted  data  showing  that  a  good  many  of  the  men  who  are  sent  to 
Elmira  come  from  overcrowded  rooms,  but  stated  that  he  had  not  established  any  sta- 
tistical relations.  He  emphasized  especially  the  overcrowding  of  individual  homes 
which  might  and  does  occur  in  many  partially  settled  districts,  as  follows : 

"Of  all  the  manifest  relations  between  congestion  and  crime,  that  which  has 
struck  me  the  most  forcibly  is  in  regard  to  offenses  against  public  morals.  The  lack 
of  proper  play  spaces  for  children  forces  them  into  the  evil  contacts  of  the  gutter. 
The  lack  of  parlors  in  the  homes  of  the  poor  forces  the  growing  girls  to  meet  their 
men  friends  outside,  often  clandestinely.  The  presence  of  strange  men  boarders  in 
the  overcrowded  homes  of  the  congested  districts  has  a  notoriously  bad  influence, 
and  prostitution  in  the  tenement  houses  is  perhaps  the  most  disintegrating  of  all  the 
evil   concomitants   of   congestion." 

Juvenile  Delinquency. 

Mr.  Ernest  K.  Coulter,  Clerk  of  the  Children's  Court  of  New  York  County, 
stated  that  congestion  is  responsible  for  a  vast  number  of  the  cases  that  come  to 


252 

the  Children's  Court  of  New  York  City,  since  environment  counts  nine-tenths  in  the 
whole  proposition  of  juvenile  delinquency,  and  that  the  bad  environment  of  conges- 
tion has  been  responsible  for  the  trouble  of  most  of  the  80,000  children  who  have 
been  brought  into  the  Juvenile  Court  since  it  was  started.  (Mr.  Coulter  has  been 
connected  with  the  Court  since  it  has  been  founded.)  The  room  overcrowding  Mr. 
Coulter  ascribes  largely  to  the  poverty  of  the  families.  He  emphasizes  the  bad  features 
of  this  overcrowding  on  the  physique  of  the  children  and,  hence,  upon  their  morals, 
as  also  of  the  unsanitary  and  dark  rooms  in  which  they  are  living,  and  stated  that 
there  is  little  space  in  their  rooms  for  the  children  day  or  night,  unless  they  are  put 
to  work.  The  most  skillful  pickpockets  in  New  York  City  are  children.  The  employ- 
ment of  children  in  the  tenements  is  a  serious  problem  and  should  be  prohibited,  while 
the  high  rents  require  the  labor  of  practically  all  members  of  the  family,  even  chil- 
dren of  five  years  of  age  are  working  for  blood  money.  Mr.  Coulter  suggested  that 
the  number  of  factories  in  a  given  district  should  be  restricted  and  that  the  names 
of  the  real  owners  of  every  tenement  should  be  put  on  tenements.  He  remarked 
that  "seldom  do  tenement  owners  themselves  complain  of  congestion  because  they  know 
the  greater  the  crowd  the  greater  the  rate  of  rental  that  can  be  charged."  To  the 
following  statements  of  Mr.  Coulter  careful  attention  should  be  given : 

"There  have  been  little  children  brought  to  Court  on  charges  of  no  proper  guard- 
ianship suffering  from  syphilis  contracted  from  these  lodgers.  Only  recently  a  case 
came  to  the  attention  of  the  courts  where  a  thirteen  year  old  girl  had  strangled  her 
baby,  of  which  one  of  the  lodgers  in  the  house  was  the  father." 

Cost  to  the  Community. 
Mr.  Coulter  reported  that  the  cost  to  The  City  of  New  York  was  $5.62  each 
time  a  child  is  arraigned  in  the  Children's  Court  of  New  York  County,  and  that  this 
is  about  one-seventh  of  the  per  capita  cost  of  the  child's  education  for  one  year. 
When  a  child  is  committed  it  costs  the  City  at  least  $120  for  the  maintenance  of  each 
child  in  the  institution  and  there  are  about  1,800  children  annually  committed  to  the 
institutions,  making  the  total  cost  approximately  $216,000  for  each  year  they  remain, 
while  of  course  the  wretchedness  and  suffering  of  families  and  of  the  children  par- 
ticularly, is  vastly  more  important  than  the  money  cost  to  the  City. 

Statistical  Evidence  of  the  Results  of  Congestion. 

Mr.  Coulter  stated  that  the  39th  Police  Precinct  contributed  most  heavily  to 
the  arraignment  of  children  in  the  Children's  Court  of  New  York  County..  This 
precinct  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  96th  st.,  on  the  west  by  Central  Park  and  Lenox 
ave.,  on  the  north  by  116th  st.,  and  on  the  east  by  the  East  River.  The  total  popula- 
tion of  this  precinct  is  approximately  220,000.  out  of  a  total  population  this  year  of 
2,762,522  in  Now  York  City  (Manhattan  and  The  Bronx),  the  population  is  therefore 
approximately  8  per  cent,  of  the  City's  population,  while  the  precinct  furnished  12 
per  cent,  of  all  the  arraignments  in  the  Children's  Court  on  general  charges  and  9 
per  cent,  of  the  arraignments  because  of  improper  guardianship.  This  district,  of 
course,  is  rapidly  becoming  congested  and  includes  what  is  known  as  "Little  Italy." 
The  9th  Precinct  furnished  the  third  highest  number  of  arraignments.  This  is 
bounded  on  the  south  by  Division  St..  on  the  west  by  the  Bowery,  and  on  the  north 
by  Houston  st.,  and  on  the  east  by  Clinton  st.  and  Norfolk  st.  It  has  a  population 
of  approximately  130,000,  or  slightly  under  5  per  cent,  of  the  population  of  the  county, 
while  the  arraignments  on  general  charges  of  this  precinct  were  7  per  cent,  of  the 
total  for  the  City  and  the  arraignments  on  charges  of  no  proper  guardianship  were 
Sy2  per  cent. 

Miss  Julia  Richman,  Principal  of  School  56,  stated  that  she  would  ascribe  all 
the  evils  of  child  life  on  the  East  Side  to  three  main  reasons : 

First — Inefficient   parenthood. 

Second — The  absolute  lack  of  respect  that  children  have  for  their  parents  and 
lack  of  authority  that  parents  have  over  their  children. 

Third — The  economical   conditions  under  which  they  live. 

Miss  Richman  admitted  that  overcrowding  is  a  most  serious  factor,  and  she 
instanced  numerous  cases  which  have  come  to  her  notice  of  the  result  of  the  demoral- 
ization of  children  due  to  personally  observing  the  relations  between  the  father  and 
the  mother  inevitable  with  the  overcrowded  conditions  of  the  home,  especially  when 
lodgers  are  taken  in.  Miss  Richman  thought  that  there  was  more  accidental  prostitu- 
tion than  direct  prostitution  as  the  result  of  this  overcrowding.  She  stated,  however, 
that  the  prevalence  of  the  push  cart  on  the  East  Side  is  a  most  potent  and  continual 
source  of  crime  by  tempting  young  children  to  steal.  Miss  Richman  declared  that  ade- 
quate provision  of  parks  and  playgrounds  should  be  made  where  the  boys,  especially, 
could  work  off  the  surplus  of  animal  spirits  and  urges  that  Sunday  baseball  be  permit- 
ted as  safeguard  for  the  children  of  these  districts.    Miss  Richman  also  called  attention 


253 

to  the  large  number  of  widowers  with  children  to  support  who  could  not  get  any  one 
to  care  for  them  and  therefore  kept  the  oldest  child  out  of  school  in  order  that  she 
might  look  after  the  other  children.  Miss  Richman  advocated  the  careful  but  tactful 
enforcement  of  the  law  against  overcrowding  and  felt  that  the  City  should,  at 
whatever  cost,  see  that  these  people  had  decent  accommodations  rather  than  the  over- 
crowded rooms  in  which  they  are  now  living  on  account  of  destitution.  The  part 
time  evil  in  the  schools  is  particularly  bad  for  children  over  8  years  of  age  since  they 
need  the  supervision  and  control  furnished  them  in  schools  during  the  number  of 
hours  provided  for  in  a  full  day  of  schooling.  Miss  Richman  advocated  that  the 
City  should  furnish  a  meal  to  children  at  noon  for  three  cents,  under  careful  super- 
vision so  that  if  any  child  could  not  afford  to  pay  the  money  it  could  be  furnished 
the  meal  without  any  charge. 

Miss  Maud  E.  Miner,  Secretary  of  the  Probation  Association,  who  has  been  for 
several  years  a  probation  ofticer  herself  stated  that  she  laid  Crime  and  Delinquency 
particularly  to  three  causes : 

First — The    sweatshop    home. 

Second — The  deserted  home. 

Third — The  overcrowded  home. 

The  sweatshop  home  is  often  due  to  the  poverty  of  the  family,  all  of  the  members 
in  the  home  taking  in  work  in  order  to  earn  enough  for  the  family  to  subsist.  She 
stated  that  she  know  of  many  cases  where  young  children  were  going  to  school  and 
working  until  12  o'clock  at  night  in  these  sweatshop  homes  and  then  from  12  until 
1  o'clock  studied  their  lessons.  She  advocated  a  system  by  which  the  deserting  hus- 
band should  be  made  to  work  and  what  he  earns  given  for  the  support  of  his  wife 
and  children. 

Overcrowded  Rooms. 
Miss  Miner  instanced  a  case  of  a  woman  being  arraigned  for  vagrancy  where 
she  had  been  plying  her  trade  in  the  same  house  with  a  mother  and  her  children ;  the 
mother,  of  course,  simply  wanted  the  money  and  did  not  realize  the  effect  of  such 
conditions  upon  her  children.  It  is  impossible  to  maintain  sex  decency  when  it  is 
permissible  for  nine  people  to  live  in  two  rooms,  men,  women  and  children  all 
huddled  together  in  these  two  or  three  rooms,  and  it  is  very  harmful  for  the  children 
to  spend  their  time  on  the  streets,  but  there  is  no  other  place  for  them  to  '  go  to. 
Many  of  the  moving  picture  shows  on  the  East  Side  are  very  injurious  to  the  morals 
of  the  girls,  not  merely  because  the  pictures  shown  are  bad,  but  the  balconies  and 
aisles  are  dark  and  the  girls  sit  beside  immoral  men,  who  often  inveigle  them  into 
immorality.  It  is  true  that  a  great  rpany  girls  now  support  cadets,  and  Miss  Miner 
stated  that  this  is  largely  due  to  the  congested  conditions  of  the  work  places,  the 
homes  and  the  play  places.  There  are  men  in  the  congested  districts  that  have  five 
and  si-x  girls  working  for  them  as  prostitutes.  It  is  extremely  difficult  to  convict 
.such  cases.  Many  of  the  girls  working  in  the  factories  do  not  earn  more  than  $4 
and  $5  per  week,  most  of  them  in  unskilled  trades,  few  of  them  are  skilled  and  find 
it  impossible  to  rise,  many  of  them  are  below  par  mentally.  Miss  Miner  stated  that 
instead  of  developing  more  parks  and  playgrounds  at  present,  that  those  in  the  City 
now  should  be  under  better  supervision,  to  protect  the  children  from  loafers  and 
immoral  men  who  frequent  these  places.  Miss  Miner  thought  that  less  overcrowding 
would  relieve  the  moral  conditions,  especially  if  the  taking  in  of  boarders  was  pre- 
vented. 

Recommendations  of  the  Committee  on  Crime  and  Delinquency. 

Your  Committee  therefore  make  the  following  recommendations : 

Since  the  present  Tenement  House  Law  permits  nine  people,  seven  children  and 
two  adults  or  four  adults  and  three  children,  to  occupy  an  apartment  of  three  rooms, 
this  law  should  be  amended  to  prohibit  the  occupancy  of  so  few  rooms  by  so  many 
people.  The  Law  should  be  enforced,  as  there  is  no  pretense  of  enforcing  it  at 
present.    As  it  stands  upon  the  statute  book  to-day  it  is  absolutely  a  dead  letter. 

First — The  Committee  recommend  that  the  requirements  as  to  cubic  air  space  in 
apartments  be  increased  to  600  cubic  feet  for  each  adult  and  400  cubic  feet  of  air 
space  for  each  child  over  12  years  of  age,  that  this  law  be  vigorously  enforced  by 
placards  in  the  apartments  stating  the  number  of  people  that  are  permitted  to 
occupy  the  apartment,  and  that  the  owner  or  his  responsible  agent  be  required  to 
ascertain  how  many  tenants  are  to  occupy  the  tenement  when  it  is  being  leased,  also 
that  the  lessee  be  required  to  register  the  fact  with  the  owner  of  the  tenement  or  his 
responsible  agent  when  he  is  taking  in  a  lodger. 

Second — The  Committee  recommend  that  no  lodger  be  permitted  to  occupy  a 
room  with  a  child  over  12  years  of  age  of  the  opposite  sex.    The  Committee  appreciate 


254 

that  this  is  a  law  difficult  to  enforce,  but  the  frightful  results  of  failing  to  prevent 
these  conditions  has  been  amply  demonstrated  before  your  Committee. 

The  Committee  recommend  that  tenement  house  manufacture  be  prohibited,  or  if 
that  is  not  possible,  that  no  manufacturing  be  permitted  in  tenements  in  which  there 
are  children  and  that  the  manufacturer  be  held  responsible  for  the  places  in  which 
his  goods  are  being  manufactured. 

Fourth — The  Committee  recommend  that  more  playgrounds  and  places  of  recrea- 
tions of  a  more  wholesome  kind  be  provided  for,  and  more  coreful  supervision  of  the 
existing  playgrounds,  parks  and  recreation  centres.  They  feel  that  the  City  could 
wisely  conduct  places  of  recreation  under  proper  supervision  themselves,  where  they 
do  not  exist  at  present. 

Fifth — In  view  of  the  inevitable  injury  to  children  of  the  overcrowded  conditions 
of  city  life,  the  Committee  recommend  that  restriction  on  the  height  of  tenements  in 
outlying  districts  should  be  enforced. 

Sixth — Since  poverty  is  one  of  the  principal  causes  of  overcrowding  and  the 
consequent  delinquency,  the  Committee  recommend  that  relief  be  given  where  neces- 
sary to  the  families  who  are  now  living  in  congested  districts  by  the  City  itself,  their 
removal,  however,  to  better  quarters  being  a  condition  of  their  receiving  such  relief. 

Seventh — The  Committee  recommend  that  the  Department  of  Education  be  urged 
to  arrange  talks  for  mothers  on  the  danger  to  their  children  of  permitting  them  to 
occupy  the  rooms  with  lodgers,  the  values  of  such  talks  having  been  referred  to  by 
several  of  the  speakers  before  your  Committee. 

Eighth — The  Committee  urge  that  more  physical  exercises  be  provided  for  chil- 
dren in  the  Public  Schools  and  that  the  City  should  immediately  take  steos  to  elim- 
inate entirely  part-time  by  providing  adequate  teachers  and  rooms  for  the  total 
attendance  at  the  Public  Schools  without  overcrowding  the  rooms. 

Ninth — The  Committee  recommend  tha,.  steps  be  taken  to  have  the  dark  and 
insantiary  rooms  occupied  in  many  oi  the  tenements  vacated  and  kept  permanently 
vacated. 

Tenth — The  Committee  recommend  that  the  principle  of  the  City  Farm  Colony 
be  extended  and  that  instead  of  maintaining  an  institution  in  the  crowded  sections 
of  the  City,  other  adults  or  children  who  are  in  need  of  relief,  that  they  should  be 
taught  agriculture  and  gardening  m  institutions  similar  to  the  present  Farm  Colony. 

Eleventh — The  Committee  recommend  that  in  the  congested  districts  of  the  City, 
where  it  is  possible,  that  the  streets  be  closed  at  certain  times  so  as  to  permit  the 
children  to  use  these  streets  as  playgrounds. 

Summary  of  Foreign  Methods  of  City  Pl.\nning. 

The  most  important  features  of  city  planning  in  foreign  countries  which  have 
been  suggested,  in  substance,  are  as  follows : 

First — -Proper  housing  of  the  city's  masses  for  a  reasonable  proportion  of  a  fair 
wage,  and  within  easy  access  of  their  work. 

Second — Direct  and  adequate  roads  connecting  the  main  business  centres  of  a  city 
with  smaller  roads  of  such  width  and  construction  as  not  to  impose  an  unnecessary 
and  burdensome  cost  upon  the  occupants  of  small  houses. 

Third — A  proper  system  of  water  supply  and  sewage  disposal,  pipes  and  con- 
duits for  wires. 

Fourth — The  economic  location  of  factories  and  prohibition  of  factories  in  dis- 
tricts where  they  will  be  an  injury  to  the  neighborhood,  and,  as  a  necessary  corollary, 
provision  of  means  of  carrying  freight. 

Fifth — The  elimination  of  the  cost  of  carfare,  as  far  as  possible,  to  the  work- 
ing population. 

Sixth — The  decentralization  of  the  city's  business,  pleasure  and  educational  dis- 
tricts and  interests. 

Seventh — The  provision  of  adequate  parks,  playgrounds  and  open  space.s,  with 
space  for  public  buildings,  to  furnish  not  merely  sites  but  settings. 

Eighth — Such  control  over  the  location  and  volume  of  buildings  for  manufac- 
turing and  office  purposes  as  will  enable  the  city  authorities  to  anticipate  and  pro- 
vide adequate  means  for  carrying  passengers. 

Ninth — The  control  of  the  development  of  new  and  unbuilt  sections  of  a  city, 
and  the  incorporation  of  adjacent  areas  so  that  their  development  may  similarly  be 
controlled. 

In  addition,  however,  one  must  note  the  instances  of  a  remarkably  effective 
exercise  of  the  police  powers  of  the  State  known  as  the  Lex  Adickes.  Under  this 
law,  enacted  by  th^  Prussian  Diet  in  1902,  either  at  the  instance  of  a  majority  of 
owners  of  over  half  of  the  area  of  irregular  and  uneconomic  plots,  or  on  the  initia- 
tive of  the  city  itself,  these  lots  may  be  thrown  into  a  common  pool  and  redistricted. 


255 

so  that  each  lot  shall  be  of  the  greatest  value  for  use.  This  seemingly  arbitrary 
requirement  that  the  owner  shall  not  be  permitted  to  corner  a  district  and  render  the 
economic  use  of  a  plot  impossible  is  carefully  safeguarded  and  constitutes  a  strong 
argument  for  utilitarianism  on  strictly  economic  grounds.  The  redistribution  is 
carried  out  by  a  commission,  consisting  of  two  commissioners  of  the  Provincial 
Council  and  at  least  one  building  expert,  one  lawyer,  one  certified  surveyor  and 
one  further  expert.  Up  to  40  per  cent,  of  the  land  to  be  redistributed  must  be 
ceded  to  the  city  free  of  charge;  for  any  amount  exceeding  this  the  city  pays,  but 
the  law  plainly  states :  "The  redistribution  is  to  be  undertaken  for  the  advantage 
of  the  public."  The  ground  for  streets  and  open  places  is  separated  from  the  total 
beforehand,  and  the  remainder,  in  the  form  of  regulated  plots  of  land,  brought 
in,  in  the  report.  Every  owner  receives  land  located  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the 
same  locality  as  his  original  holding.  The  value  of  the  building  land  apportioned 
must  at  least  equal  that  of  the  old  plot,  otherwise  the  difference  in  value  is  to  be 
made  good  to  the  owners  in  money.  In  the  same  way,  compensation  is  made  for 
buildings,  market  gardens,  nurseries  and  the  like  which  have  been  taken.  If  the 
redistribution  takes  place  on  the  motion  of  the  local  authorities,  the  streets  created 
rnust  in  general  be  available  for  public  use  within  four  years.  Under  the  opera- 
tion of  this  law  in  Frankfort  nearly  250  acres  up  to  1909  had  been  redistricted,  and 
many  handsome  private  and  public  buildings  constructed  thereon.  The  municipal 
authorities  at  Frankfort  summarize  the  advantages  of  this  method  of  creating 
usable  land  out  of  irregular  hodge-podges :  "The  erection  of  buildings  of  an 
uneconomic  and  unhygienic  kind  is  prevented,  and  the  future  inhabitants  are 
protected  from  unfit  dwellings.  The  property  of  every  party  interested  is  improved. 
Misshapen  streets  are  avoided,  the  streets  being  made  from  the  first  in  continuous 
lines;  long  enduring  traffic  difficulties  are  cleared  away,  and  consistency  in  the  ex- 
tension of  the  city  is  rendered  feasible.  The  market  for  the  building  lots  is  enlarged 
and  harmful  speculation  is  thwarted.  Thus  the  redistribution  of  town  land,  with  its 
tendency  to  a  healthy  reform  of  land  ownership,  deserves  to  be  placed  beside  the 
many  expedients  for  the,  at  the  root,  fundamental  dwelling  question."  Similar  legis- 
lation has  been  enacted  by  other  States  of  the  German  Empire,  notably  by  Hesse, 
Hamburg  and  Baden,  and  also  by  democratic  Switzerland.  Under  the  Badenese  law, 
however,  the  ground  for  public  roads  is  purchased  by  the  city,  and  this  expenditure 
is  made  good  to  the  community  by  the  parties  concerned  only  when  the  building 
operations  have  commenced. 

It  is  customary  in  German,  Austrian,  Swiss  and  English  cities  for  the  local 
authorities  themselves  to  prepare  the  plans  for  the  city.  The  exact  methods  by  which 
these  plans  are  prepared  vary  from  city  to  city.  Sometimes  they  are  developed  by 
the  building  department,  sometimes  by  the  city  engineer  or  by  an  oft'icial  in  charge 
of  the  transit  lines  of  the  city,  which  are  usually  owned  by  the  city — a  valuable  asset 
in  securing  an  economic  city  plan — but  always  the  city  engineer  has  the  chief  charge 
of  the  plans. 

The  following  summary  gives  the  procedure  under  the  New  Town  Plahning  Act 
of  England : 

"The  Procedure  Regulations  of  the  Town  Planning  Act. 

"Made  by  the  Local  Government  Board  under  section  56  of  the  Town  Planning 
Act,  and  dated  May  3.  1910. 

"Outline. 

"1.  Resolution  of  borough  or  district  that  they  are  prepared  to  consider  a  pro- 
posal to  prepare  a  scheme  or  to  adopt  one  prepared  by  landowners. 

"Notice  of  such  resolution  to  be  given  within  seven  days  to  any  council  interested 
in  the  land. 

"2.  A  large  scale  'Map  No.  1'  of  the  projected  scheme  to  be  deposited  at  a  place 
convenient  for  public  inspection.  Copies  of  the  map  to  be  furnished  to  every  council 
any  part  of  whose  land  is  included. 

"Notice  of  the  projected  scheme  and  of  the  deposited  map  to  be  inserted  in 
newspaper,  and  served  on  owners,  lessees  and  occupiers  of  land  included  in  the 
scheme,  and  to  councils  any  of  whose  land  is  included,  and  to  the  county  council  if 
a  main  road  is  affected. 

"3.  Consideration  of  representations  made  in  writing  by  owners  and  others  in- 
terested in  land  included  in  or  affected  by  the  scheme,  also  by  urban  and  rural  coun- 
cils affected — conference  thereon. 

"4.     At  least  one  meeting,  summoned  by  fourteen  days'  notice,  of  all  interested. 

"5.  Not  less  than  two  months  from  service  of  the  notices  mentioned  in  para- 
graph 2,  the  promoting  council  passes  a  resolution  to  apply  to  the  Local  Government 
Board  for  authority  to  prepare  or  adopt  the  scheme. 


256 

"6.  The  resolution  is  sent  to  the  Board,  together  with : 
"(a)  A  large  scale  'Map  No.  2,'  indicating  the  extent  of  the  land  comprised 
in  the  scheme,  which  parts  of  it  are  already  built  upon,  which  parts  are  not 
likely  to  be  used  for  building,  and  defining  the  jurisdiction  of  the  various  councils 
affected.  The  map  must  also  show  existing  buildings,  highways,  roads,  sewers, 
pipes  and  mains,  and  also  projected  roads  and  open  spaces. 

"(b)   A   declaration  that  the  necessary  notices  have  been   served,   etc. 
"(c)  A  small  scale  'Map  No.  3,'  showing  the  surrounding  country  to  a  distance 
of  five  miles. 

"(d)  A  copy  of  objections  not  withdrawn. 

"(e)  A  general  description  of  the  scheme,  particularly  in  relation  to  existing 
conditions. 

"(f)  Estimated  cost  of  the  scheme  (1)  to  the  promoting  council,  (2)  to  any 
other  council  interested. 

"If  the  scheme  is  promoted  by  landowners,  then: 

"(g)   Map  No.  2  must  indicate  the  proposed  sewers,  pipes,  mains,  etc.,  and  the 
following  information  must  be  furnished: 
"(h)   Council's  observations. 

"(i)  Names  and  addresses  of  persons  interested  in  the  land,  whether  statutes 
or  by-laws  would  be  infringed  by  the  scheme;  whether  purchase  of  lands  by  any 
council  is  contemplated;  information  as  to  probable  claims  for  compensation,  and 
particulars  of  such  claims  by  promoting  landowners;  estimated  betterment. 
"7.  Notice  of  application  to  the  Board  must  be  given  in  the  local  press. 
"If  the  board  now  authorize  the  council  to  prepare  or  adopt  the  scheme,  the 
further  procedure  is  as  follows : 

"(a)  Notice  to  be  given  as  in  paragraph  2:  (1)  That  the  board  has  made  the 
order;  (2)  that  the  council  proposes  to  proceed;  (3)  that  persons  desiring  to 
make  objections  or  representation  must  do  so  in'  writing  within  twenty-one  days. 
"(b)  Hearing  by  the  council  of  objections  and  representations. 
"(c)  Preparation  and  printing  of  draft  scheme  by  the  council,  with  large 
scale  'Map  No.  4,'  indicating,  in  addition  to  the  matters  comprised  in  Alaps  1  and 
2,  details  of  proposed  roads,  pipes  and  mains,  and  particulars  of  the  type  of 
buildings  to  be  erected  on  various  portions  of  land,  i.  e.,  the  purpose  of  such 
buildings  and  any  restrictions  as  to  their  height  or  number  to  the  acre. 

"Or,  alternatively,  adoption  by  the  council,  with  or  without  modification,  of 
the  scheme  prepared  by  landowners,  and  printing  of  the  same,  with  Map  No.  4,  as 
above. 

"(d)  Notice  as  in  paragraph  2  of  council's  intention  to  finally  adopt  and 
submit  the  scheme  to  the  board,  and  deposit  the  scheme,  maps,  etc.,  for  public 
inspection,  together  with  notice  that  the  council  will  consider  objections  and  repre- 
sentations made  in  writing  within  twenty-one  days. 

"(e)   Meeting,  to  which  all  interested  are  summoned  by  fourteen  days'  notice. 
"(f)   Not  less  than  one  month   from  giving  notice  of  their  intention  to  do  so, 
the    council    may,   by   resolution,    finally    adopt   the    scheme    and    submit    it    to    the 
Board,  together  with : 

"(1)   Maps  similar  to  the  No.  4  series,  but  finally  rectified  and  called  'Maps 
No.  5.' 

"(2)  A  declaration  that  the  necessary  notices  have  been  served,  etc. 
"(3)  A    small    scale    'Map    No.   6'    of   the    district    in    which    the    scheme    is 
included,  and  showing  all  open  spaces,  elementary  schools  and  other  buildings. 
"(4)  A  large  scale  'Map  No.  7,'  giving  names  and  estates  of  owners  of  land 
comprised  in  the  scheme. 

"(5)   A  copy  of  objections  not  withdraw. 

"(6)  All  particulars   specified   in   articles   VIII.   and  IX.    (see  paragraph  6) 
and  certain  other  particulars. 
"(7)   Estimated  cost. 

"(8)   Local  acts,  provisional  orders,  by-laws  and  regulations  in  force  in  the 
various  districts  included. 

"(g)  The  council  give  notice  by  advertisement  that  they  have  submitted  the 
scheme  to  the  Board,  that  copies  are  available  for  inspection  and  that  objections 
and  representations  may  be  made  to  the  board  within  one  month. 

"(h)  If  the  Board  propose  to  modify  the  scheme,  they  will  send  the  draft 
order  to  the  council,  who  must  notify  all  concerned  that  any  objections  to  the 
modified  scheme  must  be  made  to  the  board  within  a  month. 

"(i)  The  draft  order  of  the  board  finally  approving  the  scheme  will  be  pub- 
lished in  the  'London  Gazette'  and  notice  given  in  the  local  press  that  any  person 
may  object  by  writing  to  the  board  within  twenty-one  days. 


257 

"(k)  \\'lien  the  order  of  the  board  approving  the  scheme  has  been  made,  the 
council  must  give  notice  in  the  local  press  and  also  notify  all  concerned. 

"(1)  The  board  may  vary  or  dispense  with  any  of  the  regulations  other  thaE 
those  required  by  the  act.  H.  C.  DOWDALL." 

Information  and  Suggestions  Regarding  Congestion  of  Population  and  Methods 

OF  Preventing  Congestion  in  German  Cities. 

Submitted  by  Mr.   Otto  David. 

1.  With  few  exceptions  there  are  no  statistics  giving  the  density  ot  population  per 
acre  by  districts  and  blocks,  in  German  cities.  There  are  statistics  giving  the  size 
of  the  cities  or  their  population  which  may  give  a  picture  of  the  density  of  these 
cities. 

2.  About  the  distribution  of  population  in  relation  to  living  quarters,  that  is : 
number  of  rooms ;  the  large  cities  maintain  statistical  offices,  which  besides  the  gen- 
eral taking  of  the  census  prepare  such  statistics  all  the  time. 

3.  In  connection  with  the  various  laws  about  the  use  and  condition  of  living 
quarters,  there  are  in  existence  chiefly  three  systems  of  inspection : 

(a)  Volunteer  inspection,  as  an  honorary  office. 

(b)  Professional  inspection  by  paid  officials. 

(c)  Inspection  by  the  co-operation  of  both  in  connection  with  so-called  Wohnungs 
Kommisionen   (Housing  Commissions). 

The  Hrst  system,  which  is  used  for  instance  in  Hamburg,  has  proven 
itself  to  be  insufficient.  No  headway  can  be  made  without  the  co-operation  of  the 
professional  element ;  where  there  is  a  thorough  housing  inspection,  we  have  to  deal 
everywhere  with  a  more  or  less  forceful  co-operation  of  the  professional  element. 
In  fact  the  general  inspection  at  the  present  time  is  performed  by  a  police  officer 
of  a  building  department  and  in  many  places  very  good  results  have  been  obtained. 
We  do  not  find  the  co-operation  of  professional  and  volunteer  inspection  very  often. 
In  the  city  of  Strassburg  this  co-operation  has  worked  the  best.  The  co-operation  of 
volunteer  elements  in  these  cases  has  the  advantage,  that  houseowners  as  well  as 
tenants  make  the  execution  of  orders  more  easily  possible,  if  plain  civilians  participate 
in  giving  these  orders.  In  general,  the  effectiveness  of  inspection  depends  upon  how 
many  facilities  are  at  the  disposal  of  the  housing  inspectors  and  its  frequency  and 
regularity  in  accordance  with  the  official  regulations. 

4.  The  authorities  in  Germany  have  vacated  the  overcrowded  dwellings  in  only 
a  very  few  cases.  The  majority  of  German  cities  having  a  deficiency  of  small  dwell- 
ings, and  as  the  occupied  dwellings  necessarily  are  occupied  by  families  with  a  great 
number  of  children,  who,  anyhow,  ha\e  hard  work  in  finding  suitable  accommoda- 
tions, the  result  of  vacating  would  be  that  these  families  would  become  absolutely 
shelterless.  In  cases  of  vacating  dwellings,  the  department  of  public  charity  are 
required  to  provide  shelter  for  families  affected  by  such  vacating. 

5.  Private  or  public  charities  would  have  to  be  called  upon  only  in  very  few 
cases  of  vacating  dwellings  where  the  activity  of  public  authorities  is  not  considered 
beyond  what  is  stated  under  number  4;  but  charitable  organizations  exist  in  a  number 
of  cities,  who  put  means  at  the  disposal  of  families  with  a  great  many  children,  to 
help  them  in  getting  an  additional  room,  for  instance,  a  family  of  six  with  only 
two  rooms,  will  be  helped  to  rent  three  rooms.  There  are  also  organizations  to 
fight  consumption  which  assist  in  procuring  additional  rooms. 

6.  A  statistical  comparison  of  death  rates  in  overcrowded  rooms  of  tenernents 
in  congested  districts  is  not  common  now  though  in  former  years  such  comparisons 
were  made.  It  is  necessary  to  be  careful  in  using  these  comparisons,  because  a  high 
death  rate  is  caused,  not  only  by  bad  housing  conditions,  but  also  by  bad  nourishment, 
long  working  hours  and  bad  sanitary  conditions  in  certain  city  districts,  besides  many- 
other  causes  that  may  have  an  influence  on  the  death  rate. 

7.  In  regard  to  cubic  air  space,  there  are  only  figures,  which  give  the  area,  that 
can  be  utilized  for  the  buildings  proper  in  general,  factory  regulations  are  left  to- 
the  state.  Restrictions  on  factories  are  generally  put  only  on  such  ones,  become  a 
nuisance  to  their  surroundings. 

F.  Statement  Submitted  by  Mr.  Frank  Bailey,  Vice-President  The  Title  Guar- 
antee &■  Trust  Co. 

There  are  three  subjects  I  submit  for  your  consideration : 

1.  An  alteration  of  the  Tenement  House  Law  so  that  three-story  buildings  may 
be  constructed  for  three  families  on  a  basis  of  rental  which  will  give  a  return  on  cost 
both  to  the  builder  and  owner. 

Prior  to  the  Tenement  House  Law,  this  class  of  construction  was  largely  adopted 
in  Brooklyn.    The  properties  have  always  sold  well;  they  have  been  comfortable  and 


258 

hygienic   and   liave   been   a    favorite   class   of   investment   on   the   part   of   the   people 
with  small  sums. 

Under  the  new  law,  the  tenants  have  had  so  much  light  and  air  and  the  cost  of 
construction  has  been  so  great  that  these  three-story  houses  are  no  longer  feasible. 
They  have  been  replaced  by  the  two-family  house,  which  requires  a  tenant  to  pay 
more  money,  and  the  three-story  house  caring  for  two  families  on  a  floor. 

2.  The  Tenement  House  and  General  Building  laws  of  the  City  and  the  Regu- 
lations of  the  Board  of  Health  should  all  tend  towards  making  tenement  house  owner- 
ship more  comfortable  than  it  is,  otherwise  there  can  be  no  increase  in  tenement 
house  construction  for  the  account  of  decent  owners.  H  the  tenant  throws  garbage 
in  the  back  yard,  the  tenant  (not  the  owner)  should  be  fined;  if  the  tenant  wastes 
water,  it  is  the  tenant  (not  the  owner)  who  should  pay.  In  other  words,  an  entire 
change  in  the  attitude  of  the  authorities  to  the  end  that  some  of  the  responsibilities 
now  assumed  by  others  should  be  brought  with  great  vigor  upon  the  tenants.  This 
change  would  produce  better  living  upon  their  part,  and  would  result  in  more  tene- 
ment house  construction  of  the  best  kind.  Just  as  long  as  the  attitude  of  our  laws 
is  one  that  produces  tenement  house  ownership  as  only  feasible  in  the  hands  of 
those  who  will  use  their  efforts  to  dodge  the  proper  statutes  and  regulations,  in  those 
who  care  nothing  about  the  tenant  excepting  the  amount  of  money  which  can  be 
obtained  from  him — which  class  of  ownership  is  bound  to  exist  as  long  as  there  is 
as  at  present  persecution  of  tenement  house  owners  to  the  extent  now  existing — 
just  so  long  will  there  be  a  congestion  proposition  in  New  York  City. 

3.  An  entire  change  of  the  Tenement  House  Law  so  that  the  requirements  for 
the  $3,000  apartments  should  not  be  the  same  as  the  requirement  for  the  $5  per  month 
flat.  Many  a  poor  tenant  moves  from  the  new  flat  into  an  old  and  inferior  building 
because  he  cannot  pay  the  coal  bill  necessary  to  heat  the  flat  having  an  air  ;:haft  as 
great  as  the  big  steam-heated  building.  When  this  new  Tenement  Law  was  passed.  I 
prophesied  that  the  result  would  be  congestion  and  a  herding  of  people  in  large 
tenements.    Whether  that  prophecy  was  true,  I  leave  you  to  judge. 

I  feel  sure  that  there  is  no  class  of  measures  which  will  tend  more  to  reHeve 
congestion,  and  that,  too,  rapidly,  than  the  fixing  of  responsibility  for  misdeeds  of 
the  tenant  and  allowing  the  construction  of  three-family  houses  on  an  economic  basis 
in  both  the  Boroughs  of  Brooklyn  and  Queens,  and  a  tenement  house  law  which 
differentiates  the  class  of  construction. 

The  proportion  of  each  block  for  uncovered  area  I  take  to  be  prac- 
tically the  same  as  percentage  of  block  covered,  and  for  private  dwellings,  the  present 
law  provided  that  90  per  cent,  of  the  lot  area  may  be  covered.  What  the  actual  condi- 
tions are  I  do  not  know,  as  I  have  never  had  occasion  to  look  it  up.  As  a  general  thing, 
however,  new  buildings  being  erected  cover  about  the  full  90  per  cent.  There  are  no 
records  in  my  department  showing  these  conditions  as  they  actually  exist.  That  would 
be  a  matter  that  could  be  determined  possibly  from  the  insurance  maps,  w-hich  show 
private  dwellings  as  distinguished  from  tenements.  They  give  these  facts  approxi- 
mately, wathin  5  per  cent,  or  10  per  cent.  On  these  maps  blocks  are  drawn  to  scale  and 
the  houses  are  located  to  scale,  though  it  is  such  a  small  scale  that  you  can  easily  make 
errors  in  taking  the  dimensions  as  they  do  not  give  more  than  the  width  of  the  lot, 
but  no  information  as  to  the  shafts  or  size  of  the  houses.  You  could  only  approxi- 
mate it. 

Mr.  Chairman:  Do  you,  in  your  plans  filed,  indicate  just  what  percentage  of  the 
lot  is  occupied? 

Mr.  Miller :  They  do  not  indicate  it  in  that  way.  They  give  the  dimensions  of  the 
house  to  be  erected  and  the  man  who  examines  it  or  the  plans  sees  that  10  per  cent, 
of  the  lot  is  uncovered,  that  is  in  the  case  of  private  dwellings.  We  get  the  dimensions 
of  the  building  and  from  that  we  figure  to  see  that  the  uncovered  area  is  provided, 
and  our  inspectors  make  the  report  showing  those  conditions,  but  if  it  is  more  than  10 
per  cent,  we  make  no  note  of  it.  We  simply  examine  to  see  that  10  per  cent,  is  left  un- 
covered. In  the  case  of  buildings  occupied  in  part  for  business  purposes  and  in  part 
for  dwellings,  the  entire  lot  may  be  covered  in  that  portion  of  the  building  occupied 
for  business  purposes,  so  that  we  have  a  great  number  of  buildings  in  which  there  are 
stores  on  the  first  floor  and  dwellings  above  where  the  entire  lot  area  is  covered  in 
first  and  90  per  cent,  covered  above. 

Mr.  Chairman  :  Do  you  find  that  the  filling  up  of  the  entire  area  of  the  first  floor 
would  affect  the  conditions,  and  what  effect  would  it  have  on  such  conditions  to  be 
changed  ? 

Mr.  Miller:    This  is  a  matter  of  judgment. 

Mr.  Chairman :  Do  you  think  some  discretion  should  be  allowed  or  lodged  with 
the  Superintendent  of  Buildings? 

Mr.  Miller :     No,  I  think  the  law  should  say  what  shall  be  allowed  in  such  cases 


259 

and  he  should  see  that  the  law  is  carried  out.  What  shall  remain  uncovered  is  a 
matter  of  judgment,  and  if  it  is  to  be  based  on  anything,  it  must  be  based  on  statistics 
of  some  kind  to  show  what  effect  this  covered  area  has  on  the  occupants.  If  the  con- 
ditions throughout  the  block  are  such  that  in  one  case  2-stories  are  occupied  by  stores 
and  only  one  story  by  stores  in  another,  then  it  would  have  decided  effect.  The  uncov- 
ered areas  for  warehouses  and  factories  is  not  fixed  at  all,  that  is  to  say,  warehouses 
and  factories  can  cover  the  entire  area.  In  of  lice  buildings  there  is  a  restriction  of 
10  per  cent,  if  the  building  is  not  located  on  a  corner,  but  there  is  no  provision  made 
as  to  how  much  or  how  large  a  corner  lot  is  or  may  be.  If  the  building  occupies  the 
entire  block,  no  uncovered  area  need  be  provided  because  it  is  all  corner  building. 
Commercial  conditions  make  it  necessary,  however,  to  provide  some  uncovered  area 
to  light  the  covered  area.  In  hotels  the  restrictions  are  very  severe.  In  the  tall  hotel 
buildings,  say  20  stories  high,  the  restriction  is  such  that  you  cannot  cover  more  than 
about  40  per  cent,  of  the  lot  area  above  the  second  story.  For  corner  lots  98  per  cent. 
of  the  lot  may  be  covered.  But  a  corner  lot  is  restricted  to  3,000  square  feet.  For 
interior  lots  10  per  cent  of  the  plot  must  be  left  uncovered  for  the  first  five  stories  in 
height  and  ZYi  per  cent  for  each  story  above  the  fifth.  As  to  the  restriction  of  the 
height  of  buildings  there  is  none  except  what  the  effect  of  uncovered  area  may  be. 
There  is  no  law  as  to  the  height  of  buildings.  Restriction  as  to  cubage  is  the  same 
thing.  In  my  opinion  the  height  of  buildings  should  be  restricted.  I  think  it  is  desirable 
from  man}'  standpoints.  Just  what  it  should  be  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  now.  An  opin- 
ion of  that  kind  is  influenced  by  a  great  many  things  and  I  must  say  that  I  change  mine 
from  time  to  time.  Sometime  in  the  future  1  shall  be  glad  to  state  my  judgment  of  that 
point.  And  I  shall  be  glad  to  submit  to  the  Commission  the  recommendation  I  have 
made  regarding  the  restrictions  for  uncovered  areas.  I  submitted  it  to  the  Building 
Commission  of  1907.  As  far  as  such  restrictions  are  concerned.  I  do  not  believe  in 
specif3'ing  a  percentage.  I  believe  in  specifying  certain  definite  requirements ;  for  in- 
stance, yards  at  the  rear  increasing  in  depth  according  to  the  height  of  the  building; 
also  provisions  that  any  courts  shall  have  minimum  sizes  rather  than  fixed  per- 
centage, and  that  no  living  room  or  sleeping  room  shall  be  permitted  that  does  not 
open  to  the  outer  air  or  on  a  court  of  the  minimum  dimensions.  The  present  law 
does  not  provide  anything  regarding  the  rooms,  except  the  excise  law  in  regard  to 
rooms  of  hotels.  There  is  no  specific  provision  as  to  where  the  uncovered  area  shall 
be  left.  One  of  the  Commissioners  some  time  ago  took  the  stand  that  it  must  be 
left  at  the  rear  of  the  lot,  but  he  was  unable  to  enforce  it,  and  he  was  beaten  in 
the  courts,  as  in  the  Martha  Washington  Hotel  which  runs  from  street  to  street, 
where  he  insisted  on  the  light  court  remaining  across  the  centre  of  the  building. 
The  courts, -as  I  recollect  it,  decided  that  all  the  Commissioner  could  require  was  that 
the  percentage  of  uncovered  area  should  be  provided  and  that  the  applicant  was  at 
liberty  to  place  it  where  he  saw  fit,  provided  it  secured  light  and  ventilation  to  the 
building.  Of  course  that  was  a  matter  of  judgment,  but  so  long  as  it  secured  light 
and  ventilation  it  could  be  disposed  of  as  the  applicant  saw  fit.  There  is  nothing 
specific  about  the  location  of  the  court.  In  other  words,  j'ou  could  locate  the  court 
wherever  you  pleased,  provided  you  left  sufficient  light  and  air. 

As  to  the  demolition  of  unsanitary  houses,  of  course,  our  department  has  no 
authority.  It  might  be  a  good  thing  if  we  did  have  authority  to  remove  some  illegal 
structures.  We  have  authority  to  remove  unsafe  buildings.  The  question  of  zone 
areas  has  never  been  taken  up.  No,  we  have  no  restrictions,  except  as  to  the  form 
of  construction,  which,  of  course,  does  not  make  any  difference  to  the  question  at 
issue  here,  whether  it  is  fireproof  or  not.  As  to  basement  dwellings.  I  believe  all 
residence  buildings  should  be  treated  alike.  If  a  certain  amount  of  light  and  ventila- 
tion is  necessary  for  the  occupants  of  tenements,  it  seems  that  the  same  is  necessary 
for  the  occupants  of  hotels  and  dwellings,  and  my  view  on  that  point  is  expressed 
in  this  provision  submitted  to  the  Building  Code  Commission,  that  no  living  room 
or  sleeping  room  should  be  placed  in  any  building  unless  it  has  direct  exterior  ven- 
tilation. There  are  quite  a  number  of  plans  still  filed  for  interior  rooms,  but  very 
few  interior  unlighted  rooms.  But  in  this  I  am  not  covering  tenement  houses.  We 
only  pass  on  the  construction  of  the  tenements.  I  might  say  that  there  are  very  few 
private  dwellings  in  Manhattan  being  constructed.  There  are  as  many  theatres  as 
private  dwellings. 

As  to  the  standard  floor  area  and  cubic  feet  of  space  for  rooms.  I  have  also  ex- 
pressed myself  in  those  recommendations.  There  is  at  present  nothing  in  the  law 
requiring  certain  area  or  cubage  in  rooms,  except  I  think  there  may  be  something  in 
the  requirements  as  to  lodging  houses.  There  is  a  charter  provision  as  to  lodging 
houses. 

Mr.  Chairman  :  Will  you  take  up  the  question  of  cubage  of  buildmgs  and  the 
volume  of  buildings,  aside  from  tenements,  as  a  means  of  restricting  the  intensive 


260 

use  of  land?  Do  you  favor  that  system  as  tlie  Mayor's  Commission  suggested,  and 
to  take  into  consideration  the  cubage  and  area  of  the  lot  in  the  restriction  of  build- 
ings? 

Mr.  Miller :  I  do  not  think  that  is  necessary,  if  we  fix  the  minimum  require- 
ments for  yards  and  shafts  and  fix  possibly  the  heights  of  buildings.  In  other  words, 
the  same  might  be  effected  by  legislation.  It  is  not  the  cubage  we  are  after.  We  are 
after  light  and  ventilation  of  the  buildings  for  the  occupants.  In  the  second  floor 
these  have  to  have  light  and  ventilation  as  well  as  those  on  the  upper  floors,  and 
the  shafts  ought  necessarily  to  increase  in  size.  That  will  restrict  the  building  in 
cubage,  especially  if  you  have  a  limit  on  height.  You  can  accomplish  the  same  thing 
by  the  cubage  method,  but  it  won't  do  to  specify  the  height  and  cubage  both  to- 
gether, as  one  interferes  with  the  other.  The  same  thing  about  percentage  of  lot 
to  be  covered  and  the  sizes  of  shafts  and  yards.  You  can  accomplish  the  thing  by 
either  method,  but  I  think  that  to  specify  the  minimum  of  yards  and  courts  is  the 
better  way  because  then  we  know  we  are  getting  the  uncovered  area  in  the  places 
where  we  need  it. 

Mr.  Chairman :  Do  you  think,  from  your  knowledge  of  one  or  two-family 
houses,  of  which  there  are  a  few  in  Manhattan,  it  would  be  well  to  have  the  same 
provisions  as  for  tenements? 

Mr.  Miller :  I  do.  I  think  occupants  of  dwellings  are  entitled  to  the  same 
consideration  as  those  in  any  other  type  of  buildings.  My  view  is  that  all  residence 
buildings  in  which  there  are  living  rooms  should  be  treated  alike  in  that  respect. 
But  that  is  impracticable  for  certain  reasons,  as  the  tenement-house  question  is  a  ques- 
tion by  itself,  and  it  may  be  desirable,  for  practical  reasons,  to  treat  tenement 
houses  a  little  differently  than  other  types  of  buildings,  but  as  a  general  proposition 
they  should  be  treated  alike.  Sometimes  more  people  are  crowded  into  a  two-family 
house  than  in  tenements,  such  families  taking  lodgers.  I  will  be  glad  to  give  you 
any  suggestions  that  occur  to  me  in  addition  in  better  form  and  in  writing. 

Statements   Submitted  to  the   Committee  on   Factories. 

A.  Statement  Stibmitted  by  Hon.  Jolin  Williams,  Commissioner  of  the  State  De- 
partment of  Labor,  on  Methods  of  the  Department. 

He  stated  that  the  Department  made  inspections  at  least  once  a  year  of  all  fac- 
tories in  New  York  City,  and  that  the  report  submitted  by  the  Deputy  Inspectors 
carries  information  as  to  whether  the  factories  inspected  were  located  in  any  other 
place  previously  so  as  to  determine  whether  they  are  identical.  A  comparison  of 
statistics  of  the  number  of  factories  by  boroughs  would  not  be  of  particular  value. 

Proximity  of  the  labor  market  is  an  important  factor  in  determining  the  location 
of  factories.  There  are  about  26,OGO  factories  in  New  York  City  and  14,000  tenement 
houses  licensed  for  tenement  manufacture,  making  about  40,000  places  to  be  inspected. 
There  is  a  permanent  force  of  35  inspectors  for  New  York  City,  but  during  the  winter 
the  up-State  inspectors  are  brought  down  so  that  the  number  averages  about  40  for 
the  year.  Last  year  officers  of  the  Department  visited  160,000  tenement  apartments  in 
New  York  City.  The  Department  inspects  every  tenement  in  which  there  is  an  apart- 
ment used  for  manufacture. 

Mr.  Williams  stated  that  he  is  opposed  to  the  idea  of  having  a  Bureau  of  Investi- 
gation or  Mediation  and  Conciliation  unpaid,  since  members  must  give  practically  all 
their  time  to  the  work  of  the  Commission  and  could  not  do  this  on  a  volunteer  basis. 
He  doubted  the  wisdom  of  attempting  to  make  investigations  except  upon  complaint. 
W'hen  asked  whether  he  thought  manufacturing  in  tenements  could  be  abolished  in 
time,  he  replied  that  in  his  judgment  this  is  not  possible,  but  if  the  experience  of  the 
community  proves  that  further  regulation  is  needed  this  regulation  can  probably  be 
secured. 

In  answer  to  the  question  as  to  the  best  means  of  distributing  factories  Commis- 
sioner Williams  stated  that  he  had  not  given  the  matter  much  consideration  and  would 
wish  to  do  so  before  making  a  reply,  but  suggested  that  it  may  be  within  the  limits  of 
the  State's  province  to  prohibit  the  establishment  of  a  factory  in  a  tenement  above 
the  first  floor.  He  thought  that  an  effort  to  prohibit  the  location  of  factories  in  Man- 
hattan by  requiring  space  between  tenements  and  other  buildings  was  not  feasible,  as 
so  many  factory  buildings  have  already  been  constructed  without  this  provision.  He- 
stated  in  conclusion  that  as  a  means  of  regulating  tenement  house  manufacture  it 
might  be  possible  to  place  upon  the  manufacturer  the  responsibility  of  seeing  that  no- 
work  is  given  to  families  where  children  would  do  any  of  the  work. 


261 

Death  Rates  in  New  York  and  Some  Foreign  Cities. 
The  Department  of  Health  of  New  York  City  have  furnished  the  following  sta- 
tistics of  the  crude  and  corrected  death  rates  of  a  few  cities : 

Death  Rates  per  1,000. 

Crude  Corrected 

Death  Rate.  Death  Rate. 

London    14.00  14.70(1^8) 

Berlin    16.00  17.63  (1906) 

Paris  18.00  19.12  (1906) 

New  York  15.96  17.69  (1909) 

They  also  show  that  Bostoij's  death  rate  corrected  to  New  York  standard  .is  16.3 
as  compared  with  the  New  York  rate  of  15.96. 

E.     Statement  by  Mr.  G.  E.  Dc  Palina-Castiglione,  Manager,  the  Labor  Information 

Office  for  Italians. 

1.    Necessity  of  Regulating  the  Business  of  Taking  Boarders  or  Lodgers  Within  the 

Limits  of  The  City  of  New  York. 

For  foreign  laborers  who  have  their  families  here  it  is  customary  to  take  in  their 
houses  as  boarders,  or  lodgers,  those  of  their  countrymen  who  are  alone,  or  whose 
families  have  been  left  abroad.  The  number  of  laborers  resident  without  families 
being  enormously  large,  the  business  of  taking  lodgers  is  very  profitable.  The  run- 
ners of  such  tenement  apartments  or  lodging  houses  charge  each  lodger  from  $2.50 
to  $3  per  month.  For  this  amount  they  supply  (1)  one  place  in  a  bed  (changing  linen 
every  fifteen  or  twenty  days)  ;  (2)  fuel  to  cook  foods  and  use  of  the  family  stove; 
(3)    washing  of  the  personal  linen  of  lodgers. 

H\^gienic  and  sanitary  conditions  in  such  tenement  apartments  and  houses  are 
deplorable,  destructive  of  health  and  good  morals.  Families  living  in  two  or  three- 
room  apartments  often  have  five  or  six  lodgers  who  sleep  together,  two  and  some- 
times three  in  one  bed.  Such  overcrowding  absolutely  prevents  the  possibility  of 
boarders  washing,  bathing  and  taking  the  proper  care  of  their  bodies.  Promiscuity 
of  living  often  corrupts  habits  and  causes  sexual  depravity.  Contrary  to  the  general 
opinion,  on  account  of  higher  rents,  conditions  are  worse  in  the  new  tenement  houses 
than  they  were  in  the  old  ones. 

It  seems  advisable  that  your  Commission  consider  the  possibility  of  requiring  all 
persons  who  take  lodgers,  whether  in  separate  houses  or  apartments,  to  obtain  a 
license  which  would  be  granted  only  after  a  proper  inspection  of  the  premises,  and 
which  would  definitely  limit  the  number  of  lodgers ;  all  licensed  houses  to  be  under 
the  inspection  of  the  Board  of  Health  and  all  licenses  to  be  immediately  revocable  for 
just  cause. ,  Several  other  countries  have  such  a  law  and  in  some,  in  Germany  and 
in   Switzerland,   for  instance,  it  is  strictly  enforced. 

2.  The  enactment  of  such  a  law  as  above  suggested  should  be  simultaneous  with 
the  opening  of  lodging  houses  where  accommodations  identical  with  those  actually 
supplied  by  private  lodging  houses  should  be  supplied  at  an  identical  price  ($2.50  to  $3 
per  month).  Such  lodging  houses  should  be  built  in  the  heart  of  the  districts  in- 
habited by  immigrants. 

They  could  perhaps  best  be  built  and  run  by  private  individuals.  The  City  might 
appropriate  a  certain  amount  to  be  given  as  subsidy  or  prize  to  the  founders  of  such 
lodging  houses. 

•3.  A.  Compulsory  Teaching  of  English  to  All  Adult  Residents  of  the  City  Who 
Cannot  Prove  that  They  Know  the  Language. 

Ignorance  of  English  is  the  strongest  barrier  to  the  distribution  of  immigrants, 
and  it  is  the  main  cause  of  their  congested  colonies.  Foreigners,  who  do  not  under- 
stand English,  feel  lost  when  they  are  not  surrounded  by  people  who_  speak  their  own 
language.  There  are  many  immigrants  who  have  lived  for  years  in  this  Citj^  and 
have  never  left  the  districts  inhabited  by  their  countrymen. 

An  ignorance  of  English  prevents  foreign  laborers  from  becoming  acquainted 
with  opportunities  existing  outside  of  the  places  where  they  live. 

4.     Reduced  Rate  of  Transportation  on  Cars.  Elevated  and  Subway,  from  5  a.  m.  to 

7  a.  m.  on  All  Working  Days. 

This  system  has  been  in   force  for  several  years  in  some  European  cities,  and 

it  has  produced  some  good  results,  inducing  wage-earners  to  go  and  live  in  the  less 

■crowded  districts.     In  several  European  cities  during  the  two  hours  from  5  a.  m.  to 


262 

7  a.  m.  (and  in  some  to  9  a.  m.)  the  fare  is  as  low  as  five  centimes  (a  little  less  than 
one  cent)  per  person. 

Colonisation   as  a  Means  of  Checking   Congestion. 

As  long  as  the  average  wage  of  laborers  employed  in  construction  and  mainte- 
nance work,  either  in  city  or  country,  is  larger  than  the  wage  of  farm  laborer,  it  is 
of  no  use  to  make  any  effort  to  induce  immigrants,  who  in  their  own  country  were 
farmers,  to  go  and  work  on  farms  here  as  farmhands.  But  the  alien  farmer  or  farm 
laborer  could  be  induced  to  go  farming  as  farm  owner.  There  are  hundreds  of  farms, 
even  in  New  York  State,  either  abandoned  or  poorly  cultivated,  which  can  be  bought 
at  an  average  price  of  $10  per  acre,  buildings  included.  The  price  of  some  of  these 
farms  no  more  than  covers  the  cost  of  their  buildings.  A  large  number  of  them 
may  be  purchased  by  making  a  small  cash  payment  in  advance  (from  $100  to  $300), 
the  balance  in  small  installments.  Immigrants  are  entirely  ignorant  of  the  existence 
of  these  farms.  The  Department  of  Agriculture  of  New  York  State  issues  now  and 
then  a  list  of  farms  on  sale  in  this  State,  but  owing  to  the  fact  that  this  list  is  pub- 
lished only  in  English,  it  is  useless  as  far  as  the  non-English  speaking  population  is 
concerned.  The  Department  ought  to  publish  information  of  this  kind  in  the  principal 
languages  spoken  by  the  foreign  population  of  the  State,  and  list  the  descriptions  of 
farms  according  to  price. 

But  even  the  publication  of  these  bulletins  in  foreign  language  would  not  provide 
adequately  for  the  instruction  of  immigrants  in  the  agricultural  opportunities  existing 
in  this  State.  A  large  number  of  the  total  number  of  immigrants,  and  almost  all 
those  who  come  from  the  agricultural  districts  of  Europe,  are  either  illiterate  or  have 
not  acquired  the  habit  and  need  of  reading.  Therefore  the  publication  in  foreign 
language  of  the  farms  for  sale  would  be  of  limited  use.  The  State,  either  through  the 
Department  of  Agriculture  or  the  Bureau  of  Immigration  and  Industries,  ought  to 
employ  special  agents  who  speak  these  foreign  languages  fluently  to  canvass  or  lecture 
ip  the  foreign  quarters  of  our  great  cities,  and  thus  inform  the  immigrant  population 
of  the  agricultural  possibilities  here  existing.  Sub-agents  paid  on  a  commission  basis 
might  also  be  employed  with  advantage  to  induce  immigrants  to  invest  their  earn- 
ings in  farms  on  sale  within  the  State.  Such  sub-agents  should  be  recruited  among 
those  who  are  in  close  and  daily  touch  with  immigrants  (bankers,  steamship  ticket 
brokers,  grocers,  etc.).  "The  Abstract  of  the  Report  of  the  United  States  Commission 
of  Immigration  on  the  Immigration  Situation  in  Other  Countries"  illustrates  the 
extraordinarily  successful  work  that  the  Canadian  Government  does  to  induce  immi- 
grants to  settle  on  land.     We  quote  from  this  report : 

"Salaried  agents  of  the  Canadian  Immigration  Department  are  stationed  in  Lon- 
don, Liverpool,  Birmingham,  York,  Glasgow,  Aberdeen,  Belfast,  Exeter,  Dublin,  Paris 
and  Antwerp,  and  under  their  direction  an  extensive  advertising  campaign  is  carried 
on.  Officially  prepared  circulars  in  several  languages,  setting  forth  the  inducements 
offered  by  Canada  to  agricultural  immigrants,  are  distributed  in  large  numbers; 
similar  advertisements  are  carried  in  newspapers  and  other  publications  which  circu- 
late among  the  classes  most  desired;  permanent  exhibits  of  Canadian  products  are 
maintained  in  several  cities,  and  travelling  exhibits  are  sent  to  various  sections  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland  and  to  agricultural  fairs  and  other  exhibitions  throughout 
the  Ignited  Kingdom. 

"Another  feature  of  the  propaganda,  and  one  which  particularly  indicates  Canada's 
desire  for  immigrants,  is  the  payment  of  a  liberal  bonus  to  several  thousand  so-called 
booking  agents  in  the  favored  countries.  These  booking  agents  are  for  the  most 
part  local  steamship  ticket  agents,  and.  theoretically,  the  bonus  is  allowed  for  the 
purpose  of  inducing  such  agents  to  favor  Canada  by  directing  thereto  intended  emi- 
grants who  otherwise  might  choose  a  different  destination.  The  bonus  paid  is  3^1 
($4.86)  on  each  person  18  years  of  age  or  over,  and  10s  ($2.43)  on  persons  between 
one  and  18  years.  In  Great  Britain  it  is  paid  upon  tickets  to  Canada  sold  to  British 
subjects  engaged  in  the  occupation  of  a  farmer,  farm  laborer,  gardener,  stableman, 
carter,  railway  surfaceman,  navvy  or  miner,  and  who  signify  their  intention  of  fol- 
lowing farming  or  railway  construction  work  in  Canada.  Female  domestic  servants 
are  also  included.  A  like  bonus  is  paid  on  similar  classes  of  immigrants  from 
France,  Belgium.  Holland,  Denmark,  Norway.  Sweden  and  Finland.  During  the 
fiscal  years  1905  to  1909,  inclusive,  this  bonus  was  paid  on  16.5  per  cent,  of  all  British 
immigrants,  and  on  11  per  cent,  of  all  immigrants  from  continental  Europe,  admitted 
to  Canada. 

"In  England  the  Salvation  Army  is  also  utilized  as  an  agency  to  promote  emigra- 
tion to  Canada,  and  grants  of  money  are  made  to  the  army  for  that  purpose.  It  is 
stated,  however,  that  no  immigrants  are  brought  to  Canada  at  the  Government's  ex- 
pen  s'e. 


263 


"The  British  press  is  relied  upon  as  a  factor  in  promoting  emigration  to  Canada 
through  news  articles  relative  to  the  progress  and  advantages  of  the  Dominion,  and 
also  through  the  publication  of  letters  from  persons  who  have  settled  there.  British 
newspaper  writers  and  other  publicity  agents  are  encouraged  to  visit  Canada,  and  it 
is  stated  that  much   desirable  advertising  has  resulted. 

"Some  years  ago  Canada  inaugurated  the  plan  of  sending  agricultural  delegates 
to  Great  Britain  to  supplement  the  work  of  regular  immigration  agents,  and  this 
proved  so  successful  that  the  practice  has  been  continued. 

"For  many  years  Canada  has  regarded  the  United  States  as  a  desirable  field  for 
immigration  effort.  The  propaganda  here  is  conducted  under  the  direction  of  an  of- 
ficial designated  as  inspector  of  agencies  and  press  agent,  and  general  agents  are 
stationed  in  sixteen  cities.  The  efforts  of  these  salaried  representatives  are  supple- 
mented by  a  large  number  of  agents,  who  are  paid  a  commission  of  $3  per  man,  $3 
per  woman,  and  $1  per  child  on  bona  fide  settlers  induced  by  them  to  settle  in  western 
Canada.  During  the  fiscal  years  1905  to  1909,  inclusive,  this  commission  was  paid  on 
5.6  per  cent,  of  all  United  States  immigrant^;  entering  Canada." 

Xew  York  State,  it  is  true,  has  no  free  land  to  offer,  but,  as  I  have  said,  many 
of  the  farms  on  sale  in  New  York  State  are  sold  for  a  price  inferior  to  the  cost  of 
their  buildings,  while  the  Canadian  homesteads  consist  of  bare  and  unfenced  prairie 
land. 

I  feel  satisfied  that  a  systematic  propaganda  conducted  on  similar  lines  would 
induce  many  immigrants  now  living  in  cities  to  buy  farms  throughout  the  State.  It 
is  a  fact  that  a  large  number  of  aliens  who  after  some  years  emigrate  from  the 
United  States  buy  land  and  return  to  farming  in  their  own  country.  This  proves  (1) 
that  there  are  many  of  our  immigrants  who  have  money  in  sufficient  amounts  to  buy 
farms :  (2)  that  there  are  many  immigrants  who  are  really  eager  to  devote  themselves 
to  agricultural  work. 

Of  course  the  number  of  immigrants  who  have  money  enough  to  buy  farms  is 
small  in  comparison  with  the  total  number  of  those  immigrants  who  were  farmers 
in  their  own  country.  A  large  number  of  those  belonging  to  this  class  have  not 
money  enough  to  buy  and  equip  farms  and  become  independent.  But  the  number  of 
those  having  $200  or  $300  is  very  large,  and  this  amount  is  often  sufficient  to  make 
the  first  payment  on  the  purchase  price  of  a  farm,  but  it  is  not  sufficient  to  stock  the 
farm  and  Day  living  expenses  until  the  first  crop  is  marketed.  This  class  of  immi- 
grants could  be  induced  to  buy  farms  only  by  special  inducements,  such  as  that  of 
paying  the  greater  part  of  the  price  of  purchase  of  the  farm  in  installments  after  the 
crops  are  marketed,  and  of  buying  tools,  stock  and  provisions  wholly  or  partly  on 
credit.  Colonization  companies  working  on  such  a  plan  would  certainly  appeal  to  a 
large  number  of  this  class  of  immigrants,  and  it  would  be  worth  while  for  the  State 
to  consider  means  of  assisting  the  formation  of  such  companies. 

Record  of  Number  of  Persons  Placed  by  Largest  Agencies  for  Distributing  Population 
During  1910  in  New  York  City,  New  York  State  and  Other  States. 

Xew        New 
Organization.  Total.        York        York     Other 

State.        City.     States. 

National   Emplovment   Exchange..        3,574        1,591  398        1,585       Period     ending 

Sept.   30,   1910 

Hebrew    ."sheltering   and    Immigra- 
tion  Aid    Societv    732         ....  6S3  49      Nov.    30.    1910 

Civic  League  of  North  America..        3,834         ....        3.499  335       Oct.  5-Nnv.  30. 

1910 

Division  of  Information  in  the  De- 
partment of  Immigration 4,283       2,139         2.144         Year    '-nded 

June   30.    1910 

*Tndu=trial   Removal    Office.......        3.504  247         ....        3.257  1909 

Jewish  Agricultural  Industrial  Aid 

Society     343  217         ....  126  1909 

New    York    State    Department    of 
Agriculture    4.944       4.944         1910 

Labor  Office  for  Italians 2,904         1910 

Total 24,118       9.138       4.580       7.496 

The  Commissioner  of  Licenses  of  New  York  Citv  states  that  the  contract  labor 
statements  filed  by  employment  agents  show^  that  24,925  men  exclusive  of  farm  hands 


264 

were  sent  out  of  the  City  during  the  year  ended  May  1,  1910. 

*This  Agency  also  granted  Cduring  1909)  265  Farm  Loans  amounting  to  $141,- 
494.4<S;  56  of  these  were  in  New  York  State,  amounting  to  $20,554.15. 

It  should  be  noted  that  the  year  which  the  report  covers  ends  at  different  dates 
during  the  year,  and  that  there  may  be  some  duplication,  while  many  cases  are  re- 
placements. The  population  of  New  York  City  increases  from  125.000  to  140,000  a 
year. 

Statements  Made  ey  Contractors  on  the  Catskill  Aqueduct. 

B.    These  Statements  Were  Taken  Down  by  a  Stenographer,  but  Speakers  Have  Not 

Revised  Them. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Goldsborough :  Stated  that  they  had  at  present  about  2,500  laborers 
employed. 

Chairman :  From  your  records,  apparently,  you  average  270  working  days  a  year, 
and  1,200  employees  receive  between  $400  and  $500  a  year.  I  would  ask  whether,  in 
your  judgment,  you  generally  pay  or  get  the  immigrants  chiefly  because  they  work 
cheaper? 

Mr.  Goldsborough :  We  have  to  hunt  considerably  in  getting  any  at  all.  As 
regards  the  average  wages,  I  should  say  that  $400  is  the  minimum,  the  highest  being 
$500. 

Secretar}^ ;  I  notice  that  a  good  many  of  the  immigrants  you  employ  have  given 
their  address  below  14lh  street.     Do  they  keep  their  families  here  mostly? 

Mr.  Goldsborough  replied  that  there  were  very  few  who  had  their  families  out 
on  the  works.    A  great  many  of  their  families  are  in  foreign  countries. 

Chairman:     They  are  trying  to  support  a  family,  then,  on  $400  a  year? 

Mr.  Goldsborough  replied  that  was  equal  to  20  cents  an  hour  for  eight  hours. 
He  further  stated  that  there  was  much  time  lost  in  finishing  and  starting  the  jobs. 
As  to  the  New  York  laborers,  they  would  rather  stay  in  town  for  less  money  than 
go  to  the  country. 

Chairman:     Cannot  the  attraction  of  the  Bowery  be  overcome  by  good  wages? 

Mr.  Goldsborough  replied  that  it  was  of  no  use  to  try  and  induce  them  to  go  so 
far  from  town.  In  fact,  it  was  hard  to  get  them  to  go  up  to  the  Croton  Dam,  and 
unless  even  the  foreigners  had  friends  up  there  they  would  not  go.  The  English 
speaking  men  do  not  care  for  the  laboring  jobs  at  all.  If  you  ofifer  more  money  to 
the  English-speaking  men,  say  $2  a  day,  they  do  not  accomplish  as  much  work  as  the 
trained  Italians,  in  my  opinion.  If  they  do  go  for  a  little  more  they  soon  return  to 
town.  There  seems  to  be  very  few  Germans  who  are  laborers.  The  foreigners  are 
now  beginning  to  do  the  contractor's  work,  and  I  believe  that  within  fifteen  years 
from  now  they  will  all  be  foreign  contractors,  especially  in  building  construction. 
Every  year  there  seems  to  be  a  large  increase;  a  few  years  ago  there  were 'none, 
but  today  they  are  growing  rapidly. 

Chairman:     Do  you  know  how  they  are  living? 

Mr.  Goldsborough :  There  are  none  who  are  living  in  a  room,  but  they  are  living 
in  three  and  four-room  cottages,  these  being  the  smallest.  But  a  great  many  of  the 
men  take  larger  houses  and  keep  boarders,  as  there  are  very  few  three-room  houses. 

Secretary :  How  can  a  family  with  six  or  seven  in  the  family  live ;  that  is,  do 
you  consider  the  wages  adequate? 

The  ordinary  laborer  needs  $2.50  or  $3  a  day,  even  the  City  recognizes  the 
fact,  and  in  the  Boroughs  of  Manhattan  and  Brooklyn  the  men  are  getting  from 
$2  to  $2.50  for  just  ordinary  laboring  work.  Mr.  Goldsborough  said  the  laliorer's  work 
such  as  can  be  seen  along  the  aqueduct  is  done  by  men  who  are  appointed  by  the 
Civil  Service  and  have  to  read  and  write,  so  that  a  common  laborer  would  not  stand 
much  chance  to  get  on  the  list.    The  list,  however,  is  good  only  for  one  year. 

Chairman:  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  think  $1.33  a  day  is  as  good  in  the 
country  as  $2.50  in  New  York?  The  City  is  now  paying  $2.50  a  day  and  may  raise 
it  to  $3  in  the  Greater  City. 

Mr.  Campbell :  There  was  an  advertisement  which  appeared  here  last  year  to 
the  effect  that  the  Northern  Pacific  would  pay  $2.50  and  $3  a  day  during  the  harvest 
season  to  all  laborers. 

Mr.  Goldsborough  stated  that  if  he  could  get  the  Americans  he  would  rather 
have  them,  but  that  they  were  hard  to  get,  and  even  at  $3  a  day,  for  eight  and  ten 
hours'  work,  the  men  were  just  as  apt  to  go  on  a  strike  as  the  ones  at  lower  wages. 

The  next  speaker  was  Mr.  Nelson,  of  Messrs.  Rhinehardt  &  Dennis  Company. 

The  Secretary  asked  if  he  was  paying  at  the  rate  of  $1.50  or  the  average  of  $1.75 
a  day. 

Mr.  Nelron :  $1.75  a  day  is  the  average,  but  there  are  exceptions  to  that  rate, 
some  getting  more  and  some  less,  as  the  case  of  shovelers,  who  get  but  $1.50. 


265 

Secretary:     Your  men  work  an  average  about  how  many  days  a  year? 

]\Ir.  Nelson :  We  have  only  had  the  work  opened  up  since  the  spring,  and  they 
have  been  working  steadily  since  then. 

Secretary:     Do  you  pay  the  colored  people  $1.75  a  day? 

Mr.  Nelson:  Yes,  most  of  them  receive  $1.75.  We  have  been  on  two  aqueduct 
contracts  and  in  both  instances  we  have  tried  to  employ  natives,  but  the  trouble  with 
the  American  is  that  one-half  of  the  time  he  will  work  and  one-half  he  will  not,  even 
though  we  are  Willing  to  pay  him  more.  It  hardly  pays  to  take  them  from  Njevv 
York,  for  as  soon  as  they  make  enough  money  to  pay  their  way  back  they  leave.  We 
have  paid  them  as  high  as  $2  and  $2.50  to  set  up  forms  and  at  laboring  work  of  that 
kind. 

Mr.  Campbell:     Do  you  have  any  trouble  in  getting  laborers? 

Mr.  Nelson :  We  have  had  a  great  deal  at  certain  times ;  at  other  times  we  are 
flooded  with  them. 

Chairman:     What  times  of  the  year  are  you  flooded? 

Mr.  Nelson :  We  had  a  hard  time  to  get  men  in  February  and  March  and  had 
to  get  a  good  many  from  agencies  and  pay  $1  a  head.  By  doing  this  we  were  able 
to  keep  supplied. 

The  Chairman  then  asked  if  it  would  be  of  any  advantage  to  them  if  the  men 
came  through  a  Municipal  Employment  Agency.  Mr.  Nelson  replied  that  probably 
not,  as  they  would  in  all  likelihood  have  men  that  would  not  suit  the  contractors, 
that  is,  in  general  they  would  not  understand  things.  This  trouble  does  not  exist  in 
the  private  agency. 

Through  one  agency  we  got  some  men  in  the  City  and  agreed  to  pay  them  $1.75 
as  tunnel  laborers  and  paid  their  fares,  but  when  they  arrived  they  did  not  like  the 
condition  of  things  and  returned  to  New  York.  Italians,  Austrians,  etc.,  are  with  yon 
today  and  gone  tomorrow. 

Chairman:  Do  you  be!ieve  that  if  we  could  get  some  of  the  charities  to  send  up 
some  of  the  men  they  have  that  you  could  use  them? 

Mr.  Nelson  replied  that  he  thought  not,  as  they  had  previously  had  some  experi- 
ence in  that  line.  Private  charities  support  many  families  of  able-bodied  men  who 
are  temporarily  out  of  work,  but  who  are  too  lazy  to  work. 

Chairman:     Could  you  use  many  of  these  men  the  year  round? 

Mr.  Nelson :  We  do  not  attempt  to  pay  wages  or  keep  the  family  the  year 
round ;  we  pay  them  the  prevailing  wages,  as  our  specifications  call  for,  and  find  that 
the  prevailing  rate  of  wages  is  enough. 

Chairman:     Are  the  natives  paid  the  same  as  the  immigrants? 

Mr.  Nelson :     The  natives  and  immigrants  are  paid  the  prevailing  wages  of  both. 

Chairman :  Mr.  Goldsborough  stated  that  he  believed  $233,  plus  rent,  per  year 
was  sufficient  to  support  a  family  of  six.    Do  you  think  the  same? 

Mr.  Nelson :  I  do  think  they  are  getting  that  little  in  many  instances.  Most  of 
the  men  work  every  day. 

Chairman:     Are  you  going  to  shut  down  in  the  winter? 

Mr.  Nelson  replied  that  the  greatest  part  of  their  work  would  be  going  on  most 
of  the  winter.  They  have  eight  different  tunnels,  and  the  work  in  them,  of  course,  is 
shoveling,  etc. 

The  next  speaker  was  Mr.  Whitmer,  of  the  American  Pipe  and  Construction 
Company. 

Chairman  :  Mr.  Whitmer,  we  are  desirous  of  getting  as  much  information  as 
possible  regarding  the  skilled  and  unskilled  laborers.  A  great  proportion  of  your 
people,  in  the  aggregate,  are  recently  arrived  immigrants,  are  they  not? 

Mr.  Whitmer :  One  hundred  and  thirty-seven  of  them  have  been  here  from  two 
to  five  years  and  the  balance  over  five  years. 

Secretary:     What  are  the  lowest  wages? 

Mr.  Whitmer:     They  are  $1.60  to  $2  a  day.  _    - 

Secretary:     Have  you  made  any  attempts  to  get  laborers  from  the  City? 

Mr.  Whitmer:  Yes,  and  they  usually  leave  the  next  day,  none  of  those  which 
came  from  the  charitable  and  labor  organizations  having  stayed  one  week.  The 
majority  of  them  work  only  long  enough  to  get  sufficient  money  for  their  passage 
back. 

Secretary:     The  City  does  not  have  any  trouble,  does  it,  in  getting  workers? 

Mr.  Whitmer:  For  the  Rochester,  Syracuse  and  Eastern  Railway,  1,500  men 
were  sent  to  Syracuse  and  Rochester  on  a  Monday,  and  they  left  between  Wednesday 
and  Friday,  and  on  Sunday  a  large  portion  of  them  left,  most  of  them  returning  to 
New  York.  Within  a  week  or  so  they  had  all  gone,  with  the  exception  of  54  out  of 
1,500   men. 

Chairman  :     The  necessity  for  vour  taking  immigrants  is   due  to  the   fact  that 


266 

you  cannot  get  the  laborers  in  New  York  City  to  do  the  laboring  work  outside  of 
the   City? 

Mr.  Whitmer :  I  do  not  believe  if  you  paid  them  $5  a  day  they  would  stay  out 
of  town. 

Chairman :  Well,  suppose  we  get  the  private  charities  to  stop  giving  these  men 
food,  etc.,  would  it  help  matters? 

Mr.  Whitmer:  I  believe  it  would  be  the  best  thing,  as  then  they  would  be  com- 
pelled to  work.  I  think  that  you  will  find  that  every  contractor  has  had  trouble  along 
this  line.    The  men  are  offered  steady  employment  for  26  days  in  the  month. 

Chairman  :  Would  you  object  to  having  our  Commission  refer  these  facts  to  the 
charitable  organizations? 

Mr.  Whitmen :  I  would  be  willing,  and  in  the  spring,  if  you  will  send  some  one 
along  to  watch  the  laborers.  I  shall  be  willing  to  try  as  many  as  they  can  send  up. 

The  next  speaker  was  Mr.  D.  O'Connell,  of  the  Bradley  Construction  Company. 

Secretary:     How  many  laborers  do  you  employ? 

Mr.  O'Connell :  About  300.  My  experience  along  the  line  of  securing  them  has 
been  about  the  same  as  of  the  men  who  have  just  spoken.  Immigrants  would  be 
paid  the  same  as  any  other  men  applying  for  work.  We  have  tried  frequently  to  get 
men  from  New  York,  but  without  success. 

Chairman:     Do  you  not  think  it  is  because  the  wages  are  too  low-? 

Mr.  O'Connell :     Well,  at  least  the  American  could  not  live  at  that  price. 

Chairman  :  What  do  you  think  a  family  of,  saj%  five  should  have  to  have  to 
exist? 

Mr.  O'Connell:     Well,  they  could  live  on  $1.75  to  $2  a  day. 

Chairman:     Do  your  people  get  from  $400  to  $500  a  year? 

Mr.  O'Connell :  The  lowest  rate  is  $1.75  for  practically  the  year  around,  work  of 
300  days  in  the  year.    A  great  many  of  the  natives  are  getting  from  $2  to  $2.50  a  day. 

Chairman:  What  I  want  to  get  at  is,  if  in  your  judgment  the  immigrants  have 
not  lowered  the  rates  of  wages  generally.  Do  the  immigrants  live  in  more  crowded 
quarters  than  the  Americans? 

Mr.  O'Connell:  Not  necessarily;  the  natives  just  simply  do  not  seem  to  want  to 
work. 

Chairman :  Would  you  be  willing  to  try  this  proposition  as  before  mentioned,  of 
giving  the  natives  a  chance  instead  of  the  immigrants  if  you  can  get  them;  that  is, 
if  a  body  of  natives  is  sent  to  you  will  you  give  them  a  trial? 

Mr.  O'Connell :     Y'es,  we  shall  be  very  glad  to  try  them. 

Chairman :  Suppose  you  paid  $3  a  daj',  do  you  think  it  would  attract  a  lot  of 
natives  to  work  on  out-of-town  jobs? 

Mr.  O'Connell:  That  is  hard  to  say;  with  a  great  many,  the  more  you  pay 
them  the  worse  they  seem  to  be;  we  have  quite  a  few  such  men,  but  they  are  not 
willing  to  work. 

Mr.  J.  J.  Canney,  of  Messrs.  C.  W.  Blakely  &  Sons,  was  the  next  speaker. 

Chairman  :     We  shall  be  very  glad  to  hear  anything  you  may  have  to  saj'. 

Mr.  Canney :     We  have  at  present  about  300  laborers  employed. 

Chairman:     Your  average  rate  is  $2  a  day,  is  it  not? 

Mr.  Canney:  I  think  the  average  rate  is  $1.75,  or  running  from  $1.75  to  $1.80  per 
day. 

Chairman  :  Have  you  any  suggestions  to  make  on  any  of  the  questions  already 
asked  ? 

Mr.  Canney :  Nothing  especially,  except  in  conclusion  I  might  say  that  I  believe 
as  long  as  these  laborers  have  a  group  of  people  supporting  them,  the  City  of  New 
York  will  have  no  one  to  do  its  manual  labor. 

Secretary :  Suppose  these  immigrants  were  all  organized  into  a  union  and  would 
not  work  for  less  than  $3  a  day,  what  would  you  do? 

Mr    Canney :     I  suppose  we  would  have  to  pay  it. 

Chairman  :  Do  you  advance  their  wages  at  all  after  they  have  been  with  you  for 
some  time.? 

Mr.  Canney :  We  pick  out  certain  men  who  seem  more  intelligent  and  raise  them 
accordingly. 

Chairman:  If  j'ou  started  out  with  about  300  men,  how  many  of  them  would 
you  have  by  the  end  of  the  year? 

Mr.  Canney:  Probably  100  of  them  would  follow  us  from  place  to  place;  I 
think  out  of  the  300  men  which  we  employed  over  a  year  ago,  at  least  one-half  are 
still  with  us.     A  good  many  of  the  men  are  single. 

Chairman :  Kegarding  the  housing  of  these  men.  the  law  requires  a  certain  num- 
ber of  feet  of  air  for  each  man.     Is  this  strictlv  adhered  to? 


26f 

Mr.  Canney :  Yes,  absolutely;  only  two  men  are  allowed  in  a  room.  Of  course, 
the  work  we  are  now  doing  is  going  to  last  several  years. 

Chairman :  Do  you  think  it  would  be  wise  to  give  these  men  a  little  social  life 
and  let  them  live  in  groups,  carrying  them  a  short  distance  to  their  work? 

Mr.  Canney:  It  is  pretty  hard  to  transport  the  men  for  any  distance;  they  pre- 
fer to  have  their  camps  near  the  work.  The  social  life  would  aid,  I  suppose,  some- 
what in  holding  the  men.  Conditions  are,  however,  very  much  better  today  than 
they  were  during  the  past  ten  years.  I  would  suggest  that  those  men  who  want  work 
come  up  and  try  it. 

Chairman :     You  are  counting  on  single  men  ? 

Mr.  Canney :  Most  of  them  are  single,  or  have  families  in  Italy.  We  now  have 
more  families  than  we  anticipated.  There  is  a  big  surplus  of  laborers  in  New  York 
now  of  the  skilled  and  the  unskilled  ones,  and  there  are  about  forty  contractors  on 
this  Catskill  Aqueduct  and  each  of  them  could  probably  use  from  10  to  100  men 
more  than  they  have,  according  to  the  size  of  their  respective  contracts.  The  major- 
ity of  our  men  are  kept  working  the  entire  year.  But  there  are  plenty  of  them  who 
work  a  couple  of  weeks  and  then  they  pass  up  from  one  contractor  to  another. 

Analysis  of  CJiarities  in  A'czc  York  City  by  Boroughs,  1907. 

It  requires  a  Charities  Directory  of  several  hundred  pages  to  describe  the  many 
societies  of  New  York  City. 

There  were  in  1907  46  societies  to  give  relief  by  employment,  but  no  Municipal 
Employment  Office. 

There  were  176  societies  to  furnish  food,  fuel,  clothing  and  general  relief,  in- 
cluding transportation,  116  of  them  being  located  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx. 

There  were  92  fresh  air  charities,  80  in  Manhattan. 

There  were  two  relief  societies  for  national  calamities. 

There  were  80  societies  for  the  relief  of  foreigners,  an  enormous  majority  of 
them  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx. 

There  were  55  societies  for  nursing  and  the  care  of  the  sick  in  their  homes,  54  of 
these  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx,  also  12  relief  burial  societies,  five-sixths  of  them 
in  Manhattan. 

All  of  these  relief  societies  mentioned  are  classified  in  the  Charities  Directory, 
published  by  the  New  York  Charity  Organization  Society  under  Care  and  Relief  of 
Needy  Families  in  Their  Homes.  There  were  571  of  those  benefit  institutions  in  this 
class  in  1907,  of  which  475  were  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx. 

There  were  132  institutions  to  provide  relief  for  Destitute,  Neglected  and  Delin- 
quent Children,  93  again  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx  and  147  Institutions  provided 
relief  in  permanent  and  temporary  homes  for  adults,  115  located  in  Manhattan  and 
The  Bronx. 

There  were  69  institutions  for  the  Defective,  with  87  in  Manhattan  and  The 
Bronx,  and  an  alarming  total  of  393  institutions  for  preventive  social  work,  with  about 
five-sixths  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx;  Brooklyn  and  Queens,  however,  have  eighty, 
while  Richmond  has  only  three. 

The  treatment  of  delinquent  adults  engaged  the  services  of  42  institutions  with 
the  prominence  of  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx  again  asserting  itself  with  35;  50  educa- 
tional institutions  engaged  in  supervisory  educational  work  are  domiciled  in  New 
York,  39  of  these  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx. 

Some  of  these  are,  of  course,  national  and  international  societies,  but  most  of 
them  are  at  least  interested  in  work  in  New  York  City. 

There  are  also  653  churches  of  different  denominations  in  Manhattan  and  The 
Bronx,  479  in  Brooklyn  and  Queens,  and  68  in  Richmond.  In  addition  there  are  167 
societies  for  religious  and  moral  work  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx,  42  in  Brooklyn 
and  Queens  and  one  in  Richmond. 

A  large  proportion  of  these  institutions,  however,  are  getting  help  from  New 
York  City  in  the  way  at  least  of  exemption  from  taxation,  which  exemption  often 
amounts  to  many  thousands  of  dollars.  (Data  secured  from  the  Charities  Directory 
published  by  the  Charity  Organization  Society  of  New  York.) 

Study  of  Tax  Exempt  Properties  in  New  York. 

In  1906  the  property  of  charitable  and  religious  institutions  exempt  from  taxation 
in  each  of  the  Boroughs  of  New  York  was  reported  by  the  Federation  of  Churches 
and  Christian  Organizations  to  be  as  follows : 

Manhattan   $161,340,600  00 

Brooklyn    38,015,925  00 

The  Bronx 14,534,850  OO 


268 

Queens    3,819,675  00 

Richmond    3,415,000  00 

Total  $241,126,060  00 

For  the  same  year  they  report  the  value  of  City  owned  property  for  various  pur- 
poses as  follows : 


Schools.  Libraries.  Parks. 


Manhattan   $38,274,000  00  $13,632,500  00  $314,785,500  00 

Brooklyn    15,984,220  00  595,800  00  68,645,650  00 

The  r.ronx 6,090,900  00  96,000  00  26,433,900  00 

Queens    3,573,100  00  75,000  00  1,296,000  00 

Richmond    1,406,175  00  43,500  00  20,000  00 


$65,328,395  00      $14,442,800  00    $411,181,050  00 


In  1906  the  Federation  states,  "On  the  lower  east  side  of  New  York  live  15.1  per 
cent,  of  the  entire  population  of  the  City.  The  percentage  of  the  whole  religious 
and  charitable  property  of  the  City  exempted  from  taxation  located  within  that  area 
is  5.7  per  cent.,  while  the  school  properties  are  21.2  per  cent.,  the  fire  department 
stations  18.6  per  cent.,  the  police  stations  18  per  cent.,  the  park  properties  8.8  per  cent., 
the  public  baths  32.5  per  cent.,  and  the  libraries  1.3  per  cent. 

The  following  tables  give  the  exempt  value  of  land  and  improvements  in  1910  of 
property  of  charitable  institutions  (including  Blackwells  Island,  valued  at  $11,000,000), 
and  a  classification  of  institutions. 

List  of  Classes  of  Institutions  Exempt  from  Taxation.  Assessed  Value  in  1910. 

Classes    of    Institutions.  Manhattan.     Bronx.     Brooklyn. 

Hospitals    

Dispensaries  and  Infirmaries  

Orphan  Asylums  and  Homes  for  Children 

Day  Nurseries  

Settlements    

Relief    Society    

Society  for  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children 

Reformatories    

Houses  for  Adults 

Children's  Aid  Societj'- 

Salvation  Army  

Missions   

Lodging  Houses 

Society  to  Protect  Animals  from  Cruelt}' 

Miscellaneous    


42 

? 

21 

15 

1 

5 

18 

7 

5 

15 

4 

13 

2 

7 

1 

4 

1 

1 

4 

2 

9 

10 

1 

10 

1* 

1 

1 

I 

4 

3 

2 

1 

1 

13 

2 

7 

*\\'ith   branches. 

Exempt  values  in  1910  of  charitable  institutions,  public  and  private,  in  Manhattan 
and  The  Bronx  and  sections  of  Brooklyn. 

Manhattan — 

Land    $31,121,000  00 

Improvements  21,967,850  00 


Total $53,088,850  00 

The  Bronx — 

Land    $3,524,900  00 

Improvements  2,954,200  00 


Total $6,479,100  00 

Brooklyn — 

Land    2.509.250  00 

Assessment,  Sections  1,  2,  3,  4,  5.  6,  7.  8  and  9,  improvements 5,888,100  00 


Total   $8,397,350  00 

Land    $37,221,000  00 

Improvements     30,744,300  00 


Grand  total   $67,965,300  00 


269 

The  boundaries  of  the  sections  included  in  Brooklyn  are:  East  River,  Newtown 
Creek,  Meeker  avenue,  Union  avenue,  Broadway,  East  New  York  avenue,  Ocean  Park- 
way, 9th  avenue,  8th  avenue  and  60th  street. 

Total  Amount  of  Property  of  Various  Institutions  Exempt  from  Taxation  in  Man- 
hattan, The  Bronx  and  Part  of  Brooklyn. 


Classes. 


Assessed 
Land  Values. 


Assessed 
Improve- 
ment Values 


Total  As- 
sessed Values. 


Manhattan — 

Orphan  Asylums  and  Children  Homes....  $2,402,500  00  $1,219,500  00  $3,622,000  00 

Homes  for  the  Adult  Indigent 1,083,000  00  1,038,000  00  2,121,000  00 

Reformatories    143,000  00  150,000  00  293,000  00 

Total    $3,628,500  00  $2,407,500  00  $6,036,030  00 

The  Bronx — 

Orphan  Asylums  and  Children  Homes....  $1,986,600  00  $2,147,300  00  $4,133,900  00 

Homes  for  the  Adult  Indigent 818,500  00  442,500  00  1,211.000  00 

Reformatories    16,000  00  1,000  00  17,000  00 

Total    $2,821,100  00  $2,590,800  00  $5,411,900  00 

Brooklyn — 

Orphan  Asylums  and  Children  Homes....  $541,000  00  $631,000  00  $1,172,000  00 

Homes  for  the  Adult  Indigent 415,900  00  613,900  00  1,029,800  00 

Reformatories     83,500  00  11,700  00  95,200  00 

Total    $1,040,400  00  $1,256,600  00  $2,297,0CO  00 

Grand  totals — 

Orphan  Asylums  and 'Children  Homes....  $4,930,100  00  $3,997,800  00  $8,927,900  00 

Homes  for  the  Adult  Indigent   2,317,400  00  2,094,400  00  3,411,800  00 

Reformatories    242,500  00  162,700  00  405,200  00 


$7,490,000  00    $6,254,900  00  $13,744,900  00 


(Districts  bounded  by  East  River,  Newtown  Creek,  Meeker  avenue.  Union  avenue, 
Broadway,  East  New  York  avenue.  Ocean  Parkway,  9th  avenue,  8th  avenue  and  60th 
street.) 


270 

The  following  table  shows  the  amount  of  rent  that  must  be  paid  to  net  8  per  cent. 
shops,  etc.,  with  a  given  density  of  population  per  acre  and  with  land  of  indicated 

Table  Showing  the  Comparative  Rent  for  a  Year,  per  Family,  on  Land  With  the  Given 
Paid  for  Stores,  etc.)  on  an  Acre,  and  Allowing  Eight  Per  Cent.  Net  Return  on 
Square  Feet : 

$2  per  square    $3  per  square    $4  per  square    $5  per  i^quare 
foot,  $5,000       foot,  $7,500       foot,  $10,000    foot,  $12,500 
per  lot.  per  lot.  per  lot.  per  lot. 

250  per  acre $121  96  $182  94  $243  92  $304  90 

500  per  acre 60  98  9147  12196  152  45 

750  oer  acre 40  65  60  98  8131  10163 

1,000  per  acre 30  39  45  78  60  98  76  22 


271 

on  the  value  of  land  alone,  and  granting  that  one-eighth  of  the  total  rent  is  paid  by- 
value  per  square  foot. 

Density   of    Population    (Counting   Five   to   a    l""ainily   and    One-eighth    of    the     Rent 
the  Land  With  the  Land  Worth,  per    Square  P^oot   or    for  a  Lot   Containing  2,500 


$11  per 

$6  per  square 

$7  per  square 

$8  per  square 

$9  per  square 

$10  per  square 

square  foot, 

foot,  $15,000 

foot,  $19,500 

foot,  $20,000 

foot,  $22,500 

foot,  $25,000 

$27,500 

per  lot. 

per  lot. 

per  lot. 

per  lot. 

per  lot. 

per  lot. 

$365  98- 

$426  86 

$487  84 

$548  82 

$609  SO 

$670  78 

182  99 

213  43 

243  99 

274  41 

304  90 

335  39 

121  96 

142  29 

162  61 

182  94 

203  27 

223  59 

91  49 

104  43 

121  98 

137  20 

152  45 

167  49 

272 

It  will  be  noted  that  a  land  value  of  over  $2  per  square  foot  involves  a  rental 
on  the  basis  with  a  density  of  250  per  acre,  of  $121.96  per  family  of  live  for  rent  of 
the  land  alone,  which  is  as  much  as  a  family  with  an  income  of  $600  or  less  per 
year  should  spend  on  their  total  rent  for  a  home,  not  a  tenement. 

In  other  words  high  land  values  inevitably  mean  congestion  of  population  among 
poor  people — so  that  cheap  land  is  essential  to  proper  housing  of  wage  earners  and 
others  with  a  small  income. 

Land  values  in  New  York,  however,  have  a  capitalized  congestion  value,  i.  e.,  the 
land  is  valued  on  the  basis  of  the  rent  that  could  be  secured  at  a  reasonable  rent,  but 
with  a  density  of  population  who  can  pay  only  $150  to  $200  rent  per  year  of 
from  300  to  1,300  per  acre  in  round  figures,  the  latter  being  the  ordinary  maximum 
density  per  acre  in  a  six-story  new  law  tenement,  fully  occupied. 

Individuals  Who  Appeared  Before  the  New  York  City  Commissiox  ox  Congestion 
OF  Population  and  Subcommittees  Thereof. 
Arthur  Arctander,  Charles  Francis  Adams,  Stanley  D.  Adshead,  Benjamin  Brown, 
Hugh  W.  Becker,  John  E.  Bowe,  Milton  Butterfield,  Dr.  Henry  W.  Berg,  Dr.  Charles 
S.  Bernheimer,  Mr.  Blockman,  A.  J.  Boulton,  Miss  Mina  M.  Bruere,  J.  McKee  Borden, 
Edward  M.  Bassett,  Howard  Bradstreet,  Ernest  Buckland,  Major  James  A.  Bell,  Hon. 
William  S.  Bennet.  W.  Bretigan,  Ernest  K.  Coulter,  Gilbert  Colgate,  Mrs.  Julius 
Henry  Cohen,  Mr.  Cornwall,  B.  F.  Cresson.  Jr.,  L.  P.  Coleman,  J.  P.  Coughlin,  James 
L.  Cowles,  Charles  N.  Chadwick,  H.  C.  Carrell,  John  Foster  Carr,  Contessa  Lisi 
Cipriani,  Hon.  George  Cromwell,  Mr.  Davis,  E.  P.  Doyle,  Dr  Annie  S.  Daniel,  Ira  J. 
Ettinger,  W.  H.  Fletcher,  Mr.  Foster,  Mr.  Furst,  Adam  E.  Fischer,  Homer  Folks, 
George  B.  Ford,  J.  N.  Francolini,  Mr.  Goodrich,  Wm.  Grier,  John  F.  Geis,  Dr. 
William  H.  Guilfoy,  Frederic  D.  Green,  A.  N.  Gitterman,  James  P.  Gernon,  Samuel 
P.  Gompers,  William  B.  Grififith,  Hon.  Robert  W.  Hebberd,  Mrs.  Julian  Heath,  Hon. 
Frederi'^';  C.  Howe,  .William  E.  Harmon,  R.  T.  Haskins,  James  T.  Hoile,  Prof. 
Franklin  N.  Hooper,  Dr.  Hale,  J.  P.  Harder,  Frederick  T.  Hallock,  Dr.  John  B. 
Huber,  Frederick  L.  Hofifman,  Colonel  Henstreet,  Dr.  Woods  Hutchinson,  Luis 
Jackson,  J.  Harris  Jones,  Dr.  Jaquo,  James  Jenkins,  Jr.,  Miss  Mabel  H.  Kittredge, 
Mrs.  Florence  Kelley,  F.  Kunzmann,  Miss  Frances  A.  Kellor,  Dr.  Abraham  Korn, 
Orlando  F.  Lewis,  Max  S.  Levine,  Hon.  Nelson  P.  Lewis,  Edgar  J.  Levey,  Dr.  Walter 
Laidlaw,  Alexander  Law,  E.  C.  Meurer,  Rev.  J.  Howard  Melish,  Hon.  Frank  Mann, 
Dr.  Henry  Moskowitz,  Hon.  William  H.  Maxwell,  Hon.  John  Purroy  Mitchel,,  Marcus 
M.  Marks,  Helen  Marot,  L.  M.  Maguire,  Hon.  Rudolph  P.  Miller,  Hon.  John  J. 
Murphy,  Louis  Marshall,  William  I.  Nichols.  James  J.  O'Brien,  Herbert  O'Brien, 
Mrs.  Ernest  Poole,  W.  Frank  Persons,  A.  C.  Pleydell,  Edward  Polak,  Josiah  C. 
Pumpelly,  John  M.  Paris,  Henry  Parsons,  Dr.  Wm.  F.  Pratt,  Louis  H.  Pink,  Dr. 
Wm.  H.  Parks,  Wilbur  C.  Phillips,  A.  M.  Prawl,  Mr.  Quinn,  Dr.  Jane  E.  Robbins, 
Miss  Julia  Richman,  Maximillian  M.  Ruttenau,  James  R.  Rourke,  Mr.  Robertson, 
Miss  Grace  Strachan,  Robert  Seelar,  J.  M.  Schumacher,  Mrs.  I.  Schwerin,  A.  H. 
Spencer,  Joseph  Seff,  Abe  Schoenfield,  Prof.  Edwin  R.  A.  Seligman,  Airs.  V.  G. 
Simkhovitch,  I.  N.  Phelps  Stokes,  Dr.  Albert  Sudekum,  Dr.  .A.ntonio  Stella.  Cyrus 
L.  Sulzburger,  Dr.  M.  Serrati,  Prof.  Henry  R.  Seager,  Lajos  Steiner,  Max  Thaten, 
Louis  I.  Tribus,  Arthur  S.  Tuttle,  D.  L.  Turner,  Frank  E.  Tilby,  W.  B.  Vernam,  Law- 
rence Veil'ler,  Miss  Mary  Van  Kleeck,  Hon.  John  Williams,  Max  Walinsky,  George 
Wibbecam,  Hon.  Judson  G.  Wall,  Miss  Elizaiaeth  Williams,  Hon.  William  Williams, 
Delos  F.  Wilcox,  Hon.  Travis  H.  Whitney,  A.  W.  Winter,  Egerton  Winthrop,  Miss 
Elizabeth  C.  Watson,  Prof.  C.  E.  Winslow, 'Morris  D.  Waldman,  Miss  Lillian  D.  Wald. 


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